Lesson none
by Vuld Edone
Summary: I longed to write a story about a pony who, as hard as she would try, couldn't reach friendship. Victory is that pony, and if she can't be friend by an ancient pledge Equestria is hers. So what will it be...
1. With nowhere to go

_I am Victorie, myn queene, I wered thas yen to sarui thee sans last._  
_Myn trouthe be thy, yef yow wolde, yeve me freendshipe or yeve me myn londes._

I trust my quill to guide you on Victory's tale, as all tales should begin, on the first days of spring. Once snow was gone once in a century one peaceful land would celebrate the name and reign of their Princess. Call that birthday if you will, all had forgotten why it was and what it meant. It is this weak will I fear, when time has come to tell the lost history, that you will see nothing but a stone hearted mare, because there was nothing but a stone hearted mare to begin with.

That day the day had turned to night, storms upon storms black on a black sky rolled their black strained whirls over the last gaps. It was a winged work and by that a tremendous one, rumbling afar it had plunged all in darkness. On the ground shined a constellation of lamps and fairy lights, the many candles of many subjects ablaze in streets and squares and fields and streams burning of those tiny stars waiting – she had a queen, she thought...

Lightning came illuminating the land, illuminating the mountains and the towers of white. It faded all in an instant, made dark a deeper dark for the eye. There was a breath, then in loud thuds thunder struck hearts and on the grass pearling with humidity many hooves stomped excited just as new flashes wild multiplied, covered all horizons. The gardens were lit by those endless blasts in all shades of life, spheres and spirals, showers and flares in a many-colored galaxy that pounded and pounded. Most were grouped at the tables with plates of fruits and liquors like fountains, their words covered by the loud claps of thunder and the clap of the flag. There was a flag, there were many, there was this one. Clouds were drumming like the days of Tartarus had come.

Squall by squall in a night back to night the empty gardens yielded, branches broken on the alleys, a heavy rain crackled on the leaves of bushes and trees, tore away their dim silhouettes. She had a queen, she thought. The flag clapped under a storm that threatened to rend it.

She had a queen, and she had been free.

Now exposed the soaked bristle was shaken by gusts, all she couldn't feel, cold water dripping from her numb body. She was nothing but that, broken, a hazy shadow defying the tempest. But she was holding the flag and holding on it, when it slipped she clung on it realizing, through the silent flag and her teeth clenched, that she was conscious. Her efforts were exhausted, she could hardly move, she could hardly stand yet she was standing. A cough escaped her lungs, suffocating as the storm pounded and pounded. She couldn't fall. The gardens in an engulfed obscurity let the last remnants of the winged work sky high break and wind, leaving way to the first moonbeams.

Morning had come and with it the shiniest of suns. All that was left from the celebration were scarce clouds and on windows frames the candles exhausted. In the awakening day the white towers brightened, reflected their roofs in infinite sparkles. The first rumors of life weighed nothing in the royal gardens.

Hooves tapped on the paved alleys, a lone trot exasperated troubled the singing of birds and what few animals there was. With blue eyes and a blue tie still noble in rout Blueblood took pride to make the toe strike on paved stones, another pride at avoiding the fallen branches and yet another not to sneeze. His pelt was soaked, mixed with mud and blades of grass. With only squirrels to watch him he still felt mocked, if not by himself, by all those inexpressive eyes from the gardens statues. That's when it struck him, when he tried to avoid debris of stone on his path, that the statue he just passed by was no more.

She had stood up the whole night, now under daylight she was still fighting, in unrest, as if the tempest never ended. He turned to see the mare, a bit frightened, the prince forced himself to frown in disdain and approach but carefully.

What he didn't see was the flag, the same flag that hung completely wet. This color was the same blaze of her bristle, as it was, a furious flame that a mane under the sun close to white trailed like a shooting star. She had two flanking her, two others curved in stone on her pedestal. All Blueblood would notice was the damage, the pelt whipped flat, streaked by water, a mess of hair on her bent back and the muscles tense that trembled, that trembled. It made him feel less sorry for himself. Why she could still stand, when she seemed beaten, he understood the moment he saw the hind legs still encased in stone.

A weak voice pierced through her deafened ears. Her queen! She felt, cold, she felt the warm touch of daylight and why her teeth were clenched, in a sudden wake the mare found strength to rise, straightened her back but hardly, but only slightly opened her eyes. Through the hazy veil she saw the garden, the many glimmers that blinded her sight. She coughed.

"Answer me!" Blueblood ordered one step behind. "What have you done with the royal statue!"

His voice was a bit broken by the night, hers felt like ripped chords: "Real" and with a broken smile: "Yow seyde", she breathed, "real".

"You won't answer? Fine!" He grinned, frustrated. "I will call the guards!"

"To Tartaros with thy wards!" The sudden yell choked in her throat, only a painful sound escaped her lips, extinct. She couldn't repress on her lids shut a burst of feelings, of feeling weak, her legs trembled to hold but barely. She had been miserable yet strong all this time, now on this movement of anger the prince could see her distress. This, he felt, was others responsibility, yet he was the only one here. The noble stallion did nothing but wait for her to speak again, face hidden by her foreleg.

"Telle me" she asked with renewed strength. "Who wok me?" Her eyes, slightly open, glared at him sharp. "Are yow myn wayte?"

Whatever that meant her tone was still angry, so he pondered: "Say, would a... wait be a good thing... or a bad thing?" She growled a "pertelyche" good that made him decide she wanted him to be her savior: "Oh! Then yes. Yes, it is me! I'm your Prince, Blueblood", he proudly hooved his chest, "and I accept your eternal gratitude."

"Swiene" she whispered between clenched teeth. "Yow fals and fealoun" she kept saying, in vain attempts to yell, each of her syllables scolding the stallion, "ye lixt horte myn eers. Thy nam I wol not knowe, for ay obeye noon bot myn queene." Her voice appeased as she continued, for herself, as her grip on the flag staff fastened: "This londes is pesible, verraily that mot be hir trauel." Like a marvel.

"And… is that a good thing?"

She gasped, then hissed: "Swich surquidrye!"

He feared for an instant that the stone trapping her hind legs would break, an unwilling fear that added to his wet state and frustration. "How rude!" Blueblood simply stated, and to make sure he would not have to hear one more word from that blazing mare he turned back and left. She couldn't see him leave, her head too heavy and weak, only the birds returning on branches and singing told her when she was alone. She felt the jolting pain that slashed her enduring smile, her whole body burning from the muscles torn apart. It was all that kept her eyes open, against exhaustion, and allowed her to see the quiet gardens. So she was smiling. It was as she said, so peaceful that she wanted to see royalty in it. She so needed to believe it.

On the hedge edge would be a fall of flowers as pure as her, a soft and tender color. She would pick one in the morning, when dew would be fresh, and graciously, her queen would raise it to her thin muzzle. Then, very slowly, the queen would turn to her. And she would remember what she looked like. They would recognize each other.

Maybe that was the most painful to her.

Shadows on the pedestal had slightly moved, a feeble breeze breathed in the gardens. She heard it, the clap of the flag, one, twice, scarce. A thought crossed her mind, a silent one that deepened her smile, suddenly interrupted. On the alley were new sounds of hoofs, numerous, three or four or many more echoing in her head. Just one cling of metal shook her, so familiar, that of an armor. She tried, desperately, to stand as straight as she could, she spat against her own weakness. Those were guards, and among them, the mare's chest was like a furnace, among them she felt a softer pace.

Her efforts only made her slip a little more, the flag staff almost escaped and she felt, at her hind legs, a renewed jolt. But she had turned her head and through her clouded sight the mare saw those armors of gold, then, there she was.

"Myn queene..."

It was as if she only breathed, yet the Princess had stopped. First so bright, all the mare could see was the flowing mane and tail like northern lights, but it was her, her queen not by horn and wings but by her slim legs and the pure lines of her neck, of her muzzle and eyes. She was a queen not by grace but by dignity, the sun as her mark and shining even under her own craft. The mare couldn't repress her tears, once she recognized that face, once she read on it an expression so worried, so concerned.

"Queene Celestie..." The blazing mare weakly smiled.

The Princess approached, followed by her guards, when she noticed the hind legs her horn immediately began to glow. Magic enveloped the stone, warm and soft, for an instant, for instants, for a few seconds it lasted lulling on the cracks until in a sudden burst the stone ceded, leaving the legs free. With nothing to hold her anymore the mare closed her eyes and fell, felt in her fall the pain going away.

She had hit the grass before the guards could catch her, the flag fallen aside out of her reach. They surrounded her, hooves stomping on the flag, they got her up flank by flank and carrying her between their wings the guards took the unconscious mare. "Please," Celestia asked them, "carry her to a guest room." They nodded and went as she stayed behind, near the now empty pedestal, hooves in the remains.


	2. The queen of night

What time had passed? It was never told. The castle was so old, each buttress and each arch had added to days their past, mixed houses with spires and grown a city along its white walls. Canterlot was a city magical or a royal home with empty aisles, empty gardens and a curtained waterfall. If there were trots of courtesans, of servants and of guards, it echoed far on the cold stone. Then as they would wane on the edges of roofs would only stay the silent guard of chimareas, a company without voice or heart, without age.

No, this was a lie.

She woke up once the rays of light, having cuddled her cheek, slowly slipped away from her bed. The thin silk of curtains plunged the room in a lighter shade, she would see them float on the balcony under remnants of wind from the night. She felt weak, searched for the warmth of her cushion, she pressed her hooves on it tightly to keep the slumber close to her. A fresh air and the semi obscurity made it look like an evening, yet she could hear sand on the glass flow and chime down the seconds. The giant hourglass marked the time of day, when sun was high, making her tighten her grasp. She was feeling frail like glass.

Loud knocks made her stand of surprise, eyes wide open. Her mane had opened wide on her neck, painting dark hair on her darker chest. For a moment the room was quiet and she felt the weight of sleep pulling her down, but blinked and asked, alas in a weak voice: "Who goes there?" Her slim legs rubbed the blanket in nervousness, even when she heard her sister answer. She stretched to touch the carpet, shook her mane in a uniform star wave and leaving her dreams behind, marked by the crescent moon the Princess went to the door. Her pace was silent, or quiet.

"Good day" she said once the door opened, revealing the gentle figure of Princess Celestia.

Her sister answered and in her voice was this deep touch of warmth: "I am deeply sorry, Luna. After all you have done those past days…"

She didn't continue. Luna was already grateful for those words, as it read in her eyes, and it told more. There was this mild spark so rare for the younger Princess that begged not to mention her tired state. It was something between them, for knowing each other, that rendered words useless.

"We have a guest" Celestia went on as both would leave the room and walk in the corridors. There were guards to escort them two steps behind, leaving them space to talk freely.

This voice, she thought, she was falling, feeling nothing anymore when this soft voice reached her. There was somepony close to her making the mare panic, attempt to wake up in a violent strain. Her leg had trembled, pushed the blanket in little spasms. She could feel the tissue, the mattress, she was clouded. A squeak escaped her lips, lids fastened, she was still trying to escape that fall and find that voice when a toe touched her. She calmed, and woke up.

It was as a second veil of dream as her queen was there, tall and slim, smiling at the weak smile of the mare. Again, those words, those two words of her whole and only possession, slipped through her lips. The princess was appeasing: "No" she said, as the mare pushed on her legs desperately to stand up, "you need rest." A word from her and she obeyed, her eyes lost in the shining white of her queen. She wanted to ask, about the flag, about her, words were short to come like strangled as fears disappeared in the presence of such royalty.

Then her expression changed, she frowned and hissed. Behind the Princess was Luna, a pelt like deep ink and marked by the crescent moon. This horn, those wings, at first she couldn't tell who that alicorn could be, but it could be only one.

"Fere nat" She hissed in a breath, so weakly yet intensely, "I wol fenden thee fram the fel meere…"

Before any could react Luna had answered, shocked: "I'm no wicked mare!" Then: "Sister! What have thou tolde hem in my absence?"

Celestia had hidden her muzzle behind her hoof but even then, the quick giggle was audible: "Nothing, I promise." She touched the blazing mare and, with a friendly smile: "This is my sister Luna. Now, please, you need to rest."

The mare offered nothing but a tiny nod, her expression still confused. She didn't understand, she couldn't, but forced herself to close her eyes and, in a few seconds, as if lead had flowed on the bed the mare was asleep, leaving behind her but a silent whisper: "Euen the blak qualm is caytive of pees." A last time her leg creased the blanket, then the smile that she had seeing the Princess disappeared and she was that, only a broken mare that slumber was holding captive. The two Princesses silently left the room, once in the corridor the two guards closed the door behind them.

"She called me a-" Luna was about to complain when she caught how troubled her sister was.

"Luna," she pleaded, "I would be grateful if you looked after her."

In her tone, in the stature that she had it seemed the service she asked was a heavy burden, so she was relieved when the younger alicorn nodded.

"And there is something else," she continued, then stopped. It was an hesitation, so unusual from her: "Could you make sure that the Elements are safe?"

"Of course" Luna immediately answered, and just as quickly: "But why?" And she didn't want to ask, why this mare had been a statue in the garden. Celestia simply thanked her, and her expression again, reaching past any word, told her she couldn't answer that. "At least," Luna tried as her sister walked away, "tell me her name!" Because she could have answered that question herself, by going in the garden and see which statue was missing. But she wanted for her sister to tell her, and Celestia had turned:

"I don't know." She was sincere, saying so much through so few words. "I… hope… that she is Victory."

One of the two stallions, at the door, asked her if she wanted her own guard. "No" Luna said, still focused on the corridor where her sister had departed. She wished she could have just gone after her but the Princess knew there was hardly anything she could do to comfort her sister, only help the best she could. She gave orders for a meal and for a bath then went to the chapel. The warm day and streets alive, a constant humming of joy over Canterlot contrasted with the solemn task she had been given. She saw her subjects seeing her, and that was all. The feeling was even worse during the day.

It was only once in the chapel, surrounded by the stained glass windows in a hall of light and the columns stark that she realized what was really happening. In front of her was the sealed door, without guards, without anyone but her. She was facing the fate of Equestria, its most powerful artifacts, the Elements of Harmony.

"The Elements are safe!" She claimed, then sit, alone. "Of course they are."

She felt tired, wanting to sleep, her legs weak even when sit. Her mane was caressing one side of her face, even skimming the muzzle. It had crossed her mind, this silly thought, and the young Princess would not have been able to explain how she came to this conclusion, but it was there, in front of her. That mare had never been a statue. She shook her head and quickly trotted away from the sealed door and the glass beaming light in the hall. She left the chapel as she left the day, went back with only weariness. Her pace was cold and once again she saw the inhabitants. Her pace was slow and cold more than those of her guards.

Once back before she went to the room the Princess asked a guard where her sister was. "At the archives" the stallion answered, his tone like steel. She repeated, at the archives, went up stairs wondering what she could do there, but the room appeared with guards still posted in front of it. She put her hoof on the door.

"Is she still asleep?" Luna herself was surprised by the sharpness of her voice.

She was, the mare lain down on the bed, snuggled in the blanket had not moved since she last saw her. The young Princess approached, went past her and to the window, to pull the curtains. The room was slightly darker, not by much but she let out a smile and returned beside the bed.

It struck her, at first shadows on the mare made her look pale, in light tones of warmth. Instants later she was a brazier again, bristle like live coal and the mane and the tail two trails of blinding fire. Even in the middle of the night, Luna imagined, she would still be a star. A warm one. The young Princess remembered what names she had been called and she looked away, tired, laid down herself on the carpet. She didn't care. Dreams had already taken her, without the flow of sand she was free to err as long as she wanted in the reign she knew best, where she could be, but herself, until evening would come.

And evening came.

Luna opened her eyes as light was declining and the brightness of day turned to crimson. She got up, looked at the bed where the mare was squeaking, her body cramping, tiny moves uncontrolled. So she was wrong. As darkness would strengthen the mare's colors would decline. The Princess approached her hoof, close to her guest's forehead, eventually touched her. It instantly woke her up.

"Good evening" the alicorn said in a cold smile before walking to the curtains to open them.

She only wanted to see the sunset and see what time was left before she would accomplish her nightly task, but without knowing she had reassured the mare. She turned and came back, continuing:

"I've arranged a meal and a bath. If you need anyth-" ing else her voice died once she crossed the mare's look.

Her two eyes were wide open, dim, no, two glossy orbs leaving almost no white around them, two dull spheres of iris plain and empty like two gems. They were fixed on her, and she couldn't tell if they were gray or the lightest purple there was. The shadow would mark her muzzle, her cheeks and mane, accentuate the frown and untrust but those pupils were left untouched. Luna looked at them, expressing nothing herself but her silence, until finally the blazing mare decided to talk with a voice now confident:

"I yiscen myn londes."


	3. A haven is intimidating

The sun was crimson, a burning call through the drapes and once they were pulled aside it cast beams in the room, on the walls, on the bed like arrows. She jumped and ran to the window that the Princess had just opened, she ran so quickly it seemed she had never been asleep. The moment her hooves reached the light and in front of her appeared the outside, the blazing mare found back her smile. For her, it was a dawn. She had no idea of the time.

But she was smiling and contemplative and in those eyes that had surprised the Princess was a silent admiration. It hurt. Luna watched this mare and said nothing, the deep dark of her fur alone marking a cold distance. Now in the room all that was moving was the rays of light, hardly, and the flow of her stellar mane.

A few taps at the door diverted her from her feelings. "This must be your... your repast" she stated, leaving the mare at her window to go open the door. This was only the guards, having heard they had both awaken. The strong voice of the guard answered her raising brow: "Princess Celestia has come twice." He was dictating, impersonal, looking right in front of him. "She expects you and the guest to meet her at the throne room when you're awake."

"You can't expect an audience with a mare who hasn't bathed." Luna scolded.

"Also," the guard continued, as if he heard nothing, "Prince Blueblood has come once to inquire about the guest."

For a second she looked at the stallion, cold again, repressing all the questions she would have asked had she not been a Princess. As evening was spreading the younger alicorn with the crescent Moon for her cutie mark would act more and more like herself. So she showed nothing and decided, a pinch of irritation in her voice, that they would go to the throne room once ready. The guard nodded and left, leaving her alone to decide what ready meant and she definitely felt she herself wasn't. She turned to the blazing mare, to the other side of the room still looking by the window, slowly she went back to her.

Her pace had been willingly calm and measured, more than just the quietness of nights, Luna felt as if she was approaching a scared animal. She didn't know what to say or what to do, only what she wanted to ask and why she couldn't. That was why each of her steps on the carpet barely made noise, a graceful, royal walk. This mare standing in front of her, amazed by the landscape, was Victory. Maybe this name meant something after all.

"Kan we gon ther?" The mare asked.

And asking that she had turned her head, offering to the Princess a figure as genuine as one of a filly. Her smile, her tone were exactly that, the excitation of youth knowing no bound. She was asking for a permission, leaving Luna to wonder, in face of those inexpressive eyes, if the mare was sincere.

So she marked her doubt: "Thou mean to go in the garden?"

"The yerds? Non, I mene the felds, the strems, I mene the tours and touns, I mene the montaines!" The mare exclaimed.

"I see" Luna eventually answered. "The yerds will have to do for now."

Nothing would stop the sun from eventually reaching the horizon, the moment it would fulminate and disappear. She knew there wouldn't be much time before her own craft would fill the sky. Her look was up there while the mare at her side, touching the grass and hopping on it ticklish could hardly hold still. The two guards, after following them so far, stopped at the gates and let them go by alleys of sharp shadows. They were soon almost alone, with only the gardener crossing their path has he left his work for tomorrow. He waived his hoof and the Princess, answering in the same manner, felt somehow relieved. She trotted a bit to catch with her guest who, having seen all the flowers, was now pacing among their petals.

It had never been the statues that attracted her. She heard her name, not as a question, not as a wonder, for the first time she felt a pony called her for who she was. "Victory" the night mare called and she felt an icy jolt along her spine. Victory abandoned the heady scent of flowers and headed back on the alley, still disoriented by so many plants to see and by just the slight breeze she followed the pace of the crescent Moon.

Luna was first to break their silence: "So you still think I'm malefic?" It was as if she had read through her mind.

"I traste myn queene." It seemed to be enough, yet the mare added, almost muttering: "Als yow speken myn leden."

Those words reached Luna further than she would admit, at that instant she realized how true it was. Every word, every peak of the accent, the rhythm itself was familiar, it was this language she had always known, no, even an older one and yet, at that instant, she couldn't repress from feeling close to this mare, and how much this mare felt close to her. Luna forced herself to use the most modern words and expressions, and coldly, addressed only the first answer:

"So why were you a statue?"

"I was na kervyng." She cut.

At the same time they had reached the labyrinth, a few more steps and the pedestal was there, with only its two stone stars curved in the air. Like branches, all the remains had been cleaned, leaving hardly any mark of the two storms. Luna observed the mare as they hoofed along the alley, waiting for a reaction that never came. Victory had not even recognized where they were. Had she even been conscious of what had happened, the Princess couldn't tell.

"Yow wit my nam" the blazing mare finally said. "Wat is youre?"

Of course. She was too tired at the time to remember. "Luna" she answered, and she stopped short from repeating, she was Nightmare Moon no more. She actually needed to yell it, to that mare more than anypony. That she was not Nightmare Moon. But the young Princess remained silent and watched the sun approaching this fatal line. She, she didn't want to leave the gardens. She wanted to make it last through the night. She wondered if, under the stars, that stellar mare's words would be the same.

Victory had stopped. She was now looking, not at the bushes or the trees anymore, but at the towers of white. It was as if she had noticed Canterlot for the first time, something hard to describe, entirely held in her dangling hoof.

She kept looking, but her voice was shaken: "Telle me. Yef I lefde. Wolde yow contrarien me?"

"Trifle." The Princess answered immediately, slightly amused at the idea. "You may leave if you wish."

On those last words Luna added defiance, the same defiance she felt in Victory's behaviour, and more. The mare was really but a scared animal, it ringed so true, as the Princess took more and more time to understand she was realizing how lost this pony was. Feeling imprisoned. Threatened. It was so strange, yet now that Luna was thinking about it, for customs centuries old, it was so natural. So the young Princess decided… that she would try.

She approached and, with a compassionate vibration in her voice:

"But you're welcome to stay."

Victory turned to her, in that move her mane flared at the evening lights. Such dull colours, so vivid the second after. Maybe she had touched her, those eyes wouldn't tell. They were just smooth spheres of a grey shade, leaving almost no space for feelings. "I am yare" she answered, and Luna understood that it was time to go.

Her smooth pace leaded the heavy hooves of heavy legs, as much as she wanted to deny it she still felt feeble. Everywhere the bushes, the hedges, the trees grey on green under what was still a dawn for her, an inflamed sky over the gardens attracted her eyes and made her exalted. Yet she walked slowly, absorbed, and would say nothing anymore. There was almost comfort in hearing the armor of guards cling behind them, once they returned in the hall and stairs with their purple carpets and barriers engraved she raised her head in pride and fixed her look in the distance. Yes, she was exactly like them, exactly like those guards, a fierce and silent tap in those empty corridors. Even her mane curved sharp with but slashed braids contained had the rigour of their task, only it would need a bath, and a manedresser.

Only then did Victory realize that it wasn't a dawn but an evening, when crossing the aisle she heard sounds of hooves away from them disappear, and the first lights of night being lit. All was deserted, doors and doors shut on their passage as only they would trouble this part of the castle. On the other wall were windows aligned, letting crimson beams flow in between stone busts and open drapes of purple. Luna's pace had become inaudible.

"Ther be a mere bihynde the rifts." Victory whispered.

The young Princess had felt it too, a presence here but she hadn't noticed those hooves hardly hidden below one of the curtains, the white legs of a young pony. Now she could see how the tissue was rumpled by a grasp, and she caught a glimpse of the mane. There was no reason for a pony to hide in the castle, a game maybe, and even then… They had kept walking, approaching the hidden pony Luna could feel Victory at her side, more and more tense at each step. So she took on her, repressing her curiosity, accelerated slightly and once at the pony's height she feigned not to notice her. To her relief the mare calmed and, doing the same, only one guard took a brief glance while walking past the curtain. The quiet figure had a trembling breath in which was almost her voice, that of a mare.

As soon as they were out of sight the Princess of the night slowed, unwillingly, to the point she almost stopped. And she couldn't help but look behind, where the angle hid the past corridor. All was as silent as the evening could make it be, for all answer the fierce voice of Victory whispered, a bit stronger:

"Si hadde a croysant mone. Lyche youren." Each of her words like blades, yet she waited until the Princess would, by herself, keep walking towards the throne.


	4. Truth be told

Those halls were for horns and for glorious attires, for crowds and crowds of centuries. What was a castle but a castle of dreams, a playful rest and home of the Princesses, never a castle truly. Between pillars of marble and the walls white were cut-glass chandeliers glimmering in the mild light, leaving no shade but those of guards. They had noticed the young Princess, her deep blue on the deep brightness, and they slammed their hoof once. Behind came the blazing mare and the hooves stomped twice, then they stood still as both passed. Their pace was slow but in those halls all pace was too fast, blasting in echoes to the sides as discordant and beats of absent lives.

Before them was a wide stair leading to doors wide open, wide open always. Their own escort broke there to join both ends of the guardrails and for a few seconds as they reached the steps both found themselves, through the gigantic room, isolated. The Princess had her tall legs skim over the carpet at each step, so silent as to feel but a shadow. Yet each time her ornaments would touch the ground she could hear a tap, that of the mare following her, both close so close that their hooves would hit at the same time as they walked, as they stopped.

Luna was one step forward and thus one step higher, her bristle even colder on the brightness of the hall. She turned to the mare, Victory below her who was looking upwards with her diamond eyes.

"I ask of you that, in the presence of the Princess," the young alicorn recited, "you use only the most recent words you know of."

"I wit noon" Victory hissed, suddenly on the defensive. What she was asked was near impossible but a single glance sufficed and the mare nodded obediently. What was it that seemed to possess her face, at this instant of weakness: shame? There was no hiding her nervousness as the mare scratched the carpet with her foreleg, resisted a tap. All was to guess, if she was pressed to meet the Princess, or feared that moment as it approached.

"If you speak with your heart," Luna felt the need to say, "words will come by themselves."

Anything to make the mare feel better, to calm her even as they reached the last step and through the door, anything to relieve herself from the tension she felt. They stepped in along the velvet carpet, all sights leading to the throne where the Princess of Sun dominated. She was there, glorious, her mane like northern lights or a northern star, sit at the place that was hers. Two guards stood still before the flowers and fountains, the gold balconies of the chair. Tapestries had no age, hung and with them the windows with sceneries eternal, cosmologiae. Even in the evening as colors would fade the room was still alit by the most powerful of all lights, oblivious of time, if only.

None of this calmed the nervous trot of the mare as both approached. "Thank you for coming, both of you" Celestia said and her voice and her expression were soft, almost hiding any gravity in it. To those words Luna wondered where her place would be, as only a hop of distance remained she didn't know if she should stand side by side with her sister, or stay with the guest. Circumstances chose for her the moment Victory halted and bowed three steps before any other pony would. The young alicorn looked at her sister as troubled as her and she decided her place was there, if only as a translator. And the first words made her right.

"I couldn't properly welcome you, Victory." Celestia continued, hoping it would make the mare stand but in vain. "Please, there is no need to be so formal."

But Victory didn't rise and Luna noticed as she sat by her side how the blazing mare was trembling. She hadn't understood every word but the intent was clear, yet still bowed she answered, dismay in her voice: "My queene…" It was forced, and more, full of remorse. "I forgare my semycope" which Luna quickly translated as, she lost her cape, "a myn baner." Saying that last word the mare retracted her head, as if about to be chided like colts after a mistake.

"And her flag" the young Princess coldly concluded.

She was wrong, she was wrong and maybe Celestia herself, despite having lost all habits of those old languages, or glad to it had noticed how the mare used such a strange verb just to say, lose. Only the older Princess had noticed the verb but only the younger could tell what it meant, instead of a flag, the three shards on an orange gradient. Only then would they have understood this foalish conduct, and why the mare was distressed. The soft, comforting voice of the Sun made Victory relinquish her fears, and rise:

"Your banner is safe. I will make sure that it is restituted to its proper owner."

The blazing mare was rejoiced, rejoiced and confused as she clearly failed to understand all words. She turned to the darker sister who, lost in a thought, took a second to translate. Despite the most caring words her sister had provided, Luna felt it, something had been wrong, as if she had just lied. It was the same as in the chapel, the same feeling when facing the Elements where she would refuse to believe something so simple as what her sister said. All doubts expelled the young one once again stood silent, waiting for more mundane questions to be asked and more politeness. She didn't know how it would come, but she braced for what she felt was coming.

Already tones had faded and with them all questions, about sleep or flowers, all things she had roughly translated while those two talked and she didn't even notice when Celestia, still sit on the throne, had tried to make her join the discussion. She was too concentrated on the tones, on the pauses, how curves of their voices would constantly lower until her sister, closing her eyes a moment, asked with a serious tone:

"Victory, I must ask. What are your intentions?"

She had, at that moment, the unwilling motion of touching a scroll at her side, partly hidden by the throne. Only Luna noticed it, Victory too passionate at that question:

"To seruin thee! As I serwit a wol hertely!" The sides of her eyes humid, she cherished every of those words. "No thyng wolde liken me mast!"

Luna coldly summed it: "She wants to be your subject."

"And?"

A moment the young alicorn thought the question was addressed to her. Maybe she had missed something but except from passion, it was as she said. "And…" Victory's exaltation had faltered completely. The question was addressed to the mare, from the beginning something that had to be told, that none of them wanted to say.

"I… want to" dealing with words she never used, the blazing mare nose dived and scratched the ground, ashamed. "I want to live in pees."

Celestia said nothing but nodded silently. Those words were so easy to understand, to live in peace, the simplest and most innocent demand there was, and the easiest to grant. She would not detach her look from the blazing mare, waiting this time for the inevitable. Something had burst and the mare made a step forward, raised a pleading hoof.

"I aske yow mercy, as oure vassal, haue I nat ofserued wat euerich mere hath? Thou plyghte me freendshipe…" And she shook her head, making her mane fulminate in the lights. "Telle me, yef I have disserued, ewen armhertnesse!"

"Victory", the tall Princess betrayed her trouble as she spoke: "friendship is not something that can be lent. It is a wonderful gift that countless ponies are ready to share if you let them. Be reasonable, you can't exact what only exists by willingness."

"My queen!"

She wanted to step forward, paralyzed, the mare wandered a feeble smile as if those words, as if the troubled tone of the Princess never occurred. It was a blind belief motioning her, faced by the blunt reality, that filled her eyes.

"For years and years I herd, never hadde yow received a plaid or playnte. Truth be I laste all and more. Yef I have agreued yow, telle me, I would bow, but if I did no thyng wrong, is it faire? All your subjects have Equestrie, a londes of pees, wat I byd is wat all have but me, by no fault mynen, to wit freendshipe. Yef the sonne shines on al but one, is it faire? Myn queene!" And fiercely: "Yow are myn lyche, hear my wo and distresse! Yow obliged to yiven Equestrie by corage or by lawe."

"What?!" Luna had stood up revolted, walking towards her sister up to the height of guards she couldn't calm, even when her sister pleaded her to, she just couldn't hold it: "You promised all of Equestria to her?! Celestia!"

Instead of revolting herself, or denying such accusations, instead of resisting or proposing a misunderstanding, Celestia only shook her head and, with a grave expression, answered:

"Those were different times."

"Don't tell me of times I remember better than thou! This is your crown, your duty, an entire princedom counting on you! You can't just offer it to any mare like that!"

Of course she couldn't. Both of them knew that. But there was Victory and the Princess of Sun couldn't lie, that she truly did promise her throne. "Victory" she tried, touching the scroll at her side again, making Luna even more irritated:

"You must be reasonable. This contract is old, customs have changed."

Victory couldn't hear what words followed. Suddenly all was deaf and distant. She had her eyes on the forms her queen's lips were taking, every accentuation of what she couldn't hear. No, she couldn't believe it, she couldn't, as anger built in her chest she shook her head out of tears and yelled, no, no, it wasn't happening. She had stepped forward and the night mare yelled in return, she was the culprit. She was the reason why her queen wasn't listening. Victory shook again, her entire body seized by a pulse of rage:

"Empte wordes! Queene! Thou kan nat reneye me! Is this myn wage? Is this oure nome?! Yow plyghte, yow plyghte!"

She ran straight to the Princess, her mane a furious trail which made Luna scream for the guards. They barred the mare's path, as she tried to force her way they placated her on the carpet where she struggled, even as hooves would press on her elbow and back pulling in the weight of their armors she tried to rise only to fall back out of pain. Her words had turned to screams and wails, for a second as the guards were forcing her down her eyes found those of Celestia, eyes filled of tears, inexpressive.

"You won't give her your throne!" Luna yelled in the voice of Canterlot, seeing how her sister was touched. To see her hesitate, to see her older sister give in to compassion infuriated the dark alicorn and her screams added to the desperate screams of Victory, that had become but a sob, but a broken and feeble voice.

"Myn queene wolde nat liggen…" She was repeating. "Myn queene wolde nat liggen… myn queene wolde nat…"

There was nothing she could do, as much as she knew how right her sister was Celestia couldn't bring herself to act. She had been hoping, to the very last second, for anything else than this. That Victory would give up on her demand. That she would have forgotten as the Princess herself did. Or that she would have been able to grant her what the mare was asking for. She didn't care if it was childish, deep down those cries were tearing. So she was waiting, even then, hoping for another solution.

It came in the form she had stopped expecting, a magical breeze whirling over her head, turning into a letter. Her glow captured the parchment and she quickly read, to Luna's shock.

Finally, she sighed: "Not a second too late." The Princess had regained her calm, and her affectionate smile.


	5. You have a duty

The face of a Princess was affectionate, by itself the warmest light there was, the face of a Princess was a Sun the moment it touched the horizon, this fine line when set on fire the evening before turning to night would brighten the atmosphere. By all windows came those flames reverberated and the throne and the throne room were day like, a place of peace in which any rumor of fight vanished.

Luna was watching her sister confident again while herself, the younger one, couldn't react. Same was for the blazing mare that had calmed, and the guards, without an order, knew they had to withdraw. Even once their hooves were gone, she stood on the floor, silent.

"Victory, I can't give you friendship."

And it was as if Celestia had said that she could. A mask of surprise struck the mare, hopeful, and already her smile was forming again, even slightly. It was for the sisters to guess if she really understood the words, all this time, or only their expressions.

"But my student might." The Princess continued. "She has studied friendship. She can teach you what it is, and help you reach it."

There was no reaction from the mare, other than hope and joy. Not a word, not even a sign that she knew what was told. All was broken through her inexpressive eyes, those two dull gems fixed on the Princess of Day. Luna took on her to repeat what her sister said, with scoler for student, until she was sure the mare would have understood.

Victory finally rose, but only to a bow, and closing her eyes: "Thank yow... thank you my queen."

She added nothing, not a word, not a gesture but kept her muzzle on the ground, unable to watch the two Princesses anymore. Was she upset, Luna wondered, but by then she knew the answer. They all had the fresh memory of what happened, and of all that blazing mare had been the most affected. Celestia offered a sign and a guard came to Victory, to guide her back to her room. "Thank you!" The mare repeated before departing.

Even after she was gone, both Princesses stood silent for a moment, as if their guest was still there or if the echo of her trot would keep them troubled. But Celestia sighed and that broke it.

"I can't believe you." Luna scolded, as angry as she could but already her voice had frozen. "What other promises have you made that can't be kept?"

The older one, her mane flowing silently, paused before answering: "The fate of Equestria is as important to me as the fate of this mare. I won't prefer one over the other."

"You will. Once Twilight fails" she made that word lash between them "and she comes back, you will."

Why did Luna say that, she couldn't explain it herself, other than by sheer frustration. That promise was centuries old and she couldn't believe, after her own experience, that a single mare would threaten the balance of Equestria due to a few words. It infuriated her. She took her leave before her sister could reason with her, with the best excuse there was. The Sun was consuming outside, as was time, and her duty called. She was the one remembering her duty. Watching her sister leave, Celestia stood on the throne, rereading the words her student had sent her. Sometimes the task seemed impossible, sometimes it was.

But it was no reason to give up.

Lamps were lit all along the corridors now that by all windows what the obscurity of the night. The guard this time was leading as she trotted behind, careless. She had seen her queen, this was her castle, this was her land and she would give her friendship. For the mare this was more than she ever hoped. Yet somehow her smile had faded, leaving way to a serious look that would pierce through the shades made by the lamps. All was gleaming, for all she knew all was perfect.

Before them was the room were she had woken up, with a guard in night attires waiting for them and with the guard was a stallion, a unicorn of white with a blue tie. Blueblood had heard them come, heard their pace and now that she was there, he was ready to confront her. But has guards saluted and the one wearing his gold armor took his leave, Victory kept pacing past all to enter the room. And Blueblood, with everything he had prepared to say, had watched her pass completely taken by surprise. She had not even recognized him, was his fought, and for a moment conflicted by his pride, he decided that it settled all.

Inside were servants in the room tidied, not even a mark of her sleep on the bed, not even an ounce of her scent. It was her room, familiar, yet she felt a stranger in it. The servants in royal liveries had placed an entire plate of fruits and vegetables, two jugs and on one corner of the room, a wood tub filled with hot water.

One of the servants came towards her and showed her the bath: "If you please" she said and Victory, like blind, followed.

The door slammed on the guard, then they helped Victory enter the bath. Soap had foamed the surface and they watch amused as the mare would, with her hoof, try to pop the bigger bubbles. With sponges and towels they began washing her and, again, she let them do without much reaction but a few grunts. When they came with brushes, she seemed to twitch and put her head in the water for a few seconds, like a foal. The guard outside could hear them giggle all along.

Finally, finally the servants left with their tub and the mare, brushed down to the toes, kept shaking her mane until all their work was undone. Without a look for the plate of food she paced on the floor, approached the lamps where dragonflies were buzzing silently, then she went to the window to look outside.

It was then, as the tale told, that the sight of stars gleaming in the sky and Equestria asleep forced her to talk, to no pony, just to herself, in faint sobs.

"I haue defied myn queene..." those words hurt in her throat. "I yall at hir!"

Her two forelegs were covering the muzzle where the many streams of her tears converged. She squinted at the night. She was lost, she had lost, she had lost everything but her queen and even... the thought of the pure alicorn angry at her, or just disappointed, was a horrible thought for her. But that she would forgive her subject, after what she had said, made Victory even more ashamed. Even now that it was finished, it was as if she was still before the throne, yelling, and each of her screams was another blow she would whip on herself.

What the tale would add, if it is true, was that the blazing mare turned back and went near the bed, never considered to sleep on it but lain down where, she didn't know, Luna slept before her. There she curled up and, a bit trembling, waiting for slumber to take away her burden she had pulled her trailing tail between her legs to gnaw it, tears drying with time. Don't ask, it won't tell us if a beam of moonlight reaching from the window would be able to touch her in her sleep.

* * *

**For you this is chapter five but for me it is the end of the first episode. I'll take this occasion to talk - because I like to.  
**

**I had long decided that Victory was a character, not an OC, and best pony. Her eyes gave me the story and fireworks on August first achieved the conception phase. I spent a lot of time rewriting chapter one in the eight pages format of "An epic pony war" until I finally got the first two paragraphs right. That left Celestia alone in the garden and I found that to be a perfect chapter transition.  
**

**Victory is orange and yellow, the colors of the flag she is holding. Same with her cutie mark. I decided early to make her speak in Middle English - with modern grammar - inspired from the Tales of Canterbury. I wanted her to be medieval, a foalish mind burdened by duty, the heaviest of which being her loyalty to Celestia.  
**

**Last thing is, all the things I have added to go from eight pages to fifteen. It is because I have merged two other stories in this one, adapted for the cause, that I would not have written otherwise. I don't really like the current chapters, they lack real work, but to be fair I have kind of given up writing a good story. I just want to err with Victory.  
**


	6. What they know

As I wandered myself after a hundred steps into Victory's tale I began to see beyond the walls of a castle what was bound to happen. A carriage in the day of brightful gold cleaved the sky leaving behind the towers of white, but she would only glimpse at them teeth on the edge and oblivious of details, oblivious of her wild mane trailing in the wind. From meadows to mountains flowed whirls of leaves and curves of paths among the grass fast below her that she still believed were full of friendship, foolish, when she herself was nothing more than a statue turned to mare.

Wheels were whistling in the air as they went, the flaps of wings added to her feelings. Her grip solid the blazing mare held on one side and stood on her toes against the sculpted wing, preferring to face the height directly than to feel it underneath. Her hind hoof was still pawing on the cart floor an envelope left for no one but sealed with wax in a crescent moon and in precious ink her name. Already the formations of clouds were opening, sky turning clear when they approached the town, it was Ponyville. What else could it be the mare sighed while thatch and wood neared as familiar as far away, the cart arched and descended, she forced herself to relinquish and prepared to get off.

Next thing she knew she was on her back and on the ground with the royal cart slowing down further ahead. The moment they had landed at the first bump her toes off balance had let her fall, now lain down and silent the mare kept watching this traitorous sky.

She waited, she wouldn't tell, for a friendly face to appear.

They had landed, not before the town hall but in front of the library. The great tree was there covering the carriage with its branches, its many windows and its door four or five steps from them. She got up, neglected a hasty brush of her mane with a hoof then looked around. The wide sign with its book would have told anypony that it was the library, anypony but her. She recognized nothing, approached the carriage and solemn, gave guards their leave. They left and with them went the last remnants of Canterlot.

A long high seven letters pitched scream forced Victory out of her thoughts, she abruptly turned and faced a young mare with curly hair who was pointing a shaky hoof at her: "How… dare you! This is a mess!" The unicorn lamented. "This is a crime! No, this… abomination is an insult to ponykind!"

"Wat?" Raised Victory.

"Look at this hoof! Look at those ears! Even your snout!" She poked it repeatedly. "Good grace! I can't believe a mare would let her body degrade to this ominous state!"

The dismay was shared as the blazing mare felt aggressed by the high pitch the tailor talented magestic Rarity kept preciously whipping at her. She wanted to cut her, a forced smile and ears backwards but the white unicorn gasped at her motion.

"Oh no! No!" Rarity had just noticed how plain and dim Victory's eyes were. "Give me a moment to breath" then at the very same second: "I cannot in all good consciousness let you go with such… such… such an unbearable aspect! To the Carousel!"

In a shine and a pose the unicorn turned and ran towards the town streets, leaving a shocked mare behind. Only slowly did she understand what had been told, words so simple, she began touching one of her ears, tapped it then gave it a slam, hissed at the pain. Twilight found the blazing mare chewing her forehoof in front of her library when she finally arrived.

Twilight was still trotting, her breath short as she had crossed half the town. Last thing she had expected was for the carriage to land at her house but even then, she would have been late. Now she was slowing down, calming herself at the sight of this mare Celestia entrusted to her and to finally meet this pony only deepened her curiosity. Her purple fur contrasted heavily on the green of grass, so strong that somehow Victory took notice. She turned and both met at a stone throw of each other.

"Sorry for being late. I am Twilight Sparkle and you must be-" She stopped fast the moment she saw those eyes.

"Ah, the scoler!" Stated the mare while gauging her. She added nothing, her two eyes fixed at the young mare as if she expected something more. It was impossible to tell what feelings she had but she forced a smile.

To which Twilight nodded: "Your eyes…"

"Wat with hem?"

"Nothing!" She exclaimed, suddenly embarrassed. "I'm glad to welcome you in Ponyville. Any friend of the Princess is my friend!"

They were now close enough for Victory to see how sincere the student was, how spontaneous and how young. She shivered a bit, unable to hold a sudden passion that took Twilight by surprise. This horn at her forefront was one thing she didn't like, and those kind words addressed to her another, the worst that of princess, but to see the student that young, to see her that young made the mare even step back. There was no way she could have imagined that this youth could teach her anything about friendship.

"Victory? Is there a problem?"

She shook her head: "Non. No anoy. I am heer, amaistrie oure wit."

It took the unicorn several blinks to accept that they were speaking the same language, so to say. Then it struck her, where she remembered such words, in the oldest books of knowledge in Canterlot. It was as if dust had been thrown at her muzzle, she coughed a bit.

"Right… So… the library is closed for a few days, as it happens trees are living beings and need treatment now and then." She sighed. "How was I meant to know that? We had to move all books to Sweet Apple Acres for the duration-"

Despite the slow, clear and distinct pronunciation of the unicorn, Victory was at a loss. She simply waited for this flow of odd words to stream over her head until a motion of hoof from the student invited her to walk away from the tree. Not a minute later they were among the streets, stepping on soil and stones at the rhythm of Twilight's voice. "Have you ever been in a farm?" And as the mare wouldn't answer, "my friend Applejack will-"

She had stopped listening, she had stopped moving altogether. Celestia's student was walking away busy in her monologue and she wouldn't care. In front of the blazing mare was a balloon.

What was more normal than a party balloon, without mention of the color her owner was obvious, for the mare it was a marvel. When it moved to the left so did her head, captivated, when it moved to the right she followed, then it slowly moved away. She couldn't help but go along, going after it step by step with barely a hoof of distance between her and the balloon. A few ponies turned around to see this fierce mare like hypnotized follow the balloon and, below holding the string, the bouncy and fluffy and pinky and piish mare crawl near her legs with many precautions.

They turned and left the street for an empty alley where shadows were stronger, giving walls and floor an added shade of grey. There the balloon became magical, as if unaffected, it was as bright as brightness could be. She could almost guess her face in it. It stopped moving and so did she. All around were many more colorful floating balls of air, by grapes, by bunches, a whole arch of them. She would only see the one Pinkie Pie had just tied at a pin on the ground.

"Good!" The pink voice stated.

"Who speke? Schewe yowself!" Victory called, on the defensive.

"Oh, are we doing pirates? I love pirates!" Answered the voice. "Yarrrrrh! I be thy consciousness! Watch them balloons til ye be happy again!"

"Are thou a wicche?"

She obtained no answer from the balloon, unable to notice Pinkie focused solely on her immovable lips. It was in vain, even as the reddish red of her party feature had completely mesmerized this severe figure she would not get one slight smile from her. The young mare frowned and jumped behind the balloon, all happy again. "Okay, balloons are not enough! No biggie, I have a lot more up my sleeve, except sleeves of course!" She giggled. "Wait here, I'll be back soon!"

Asking that was useless, Victory couldn't help but keep watching the glossy surface float in front of her, hardly moving but moving in tiny strains of air. There she could see herself all deformed, traits she wouldn't recognize where the two dull eyes were gigantic. To her it was like a bird cage, the balloon could speak, was it the spirit of a pony inside, or it could be a magical orb. Knowing just that she would have fought, but there was something more, something more, something she couldn't escape. Slowly, very slowly, as if fearing to break the frailest crystal, she approached her hoof and grazed the surface.

She tapped it, the balloon moved away and attached, came back hitting her on the muzzle. She immediately jumped back and growled at it, legs stretched.

"There you are!" Twilight called in her back. "I thought I had lost you…"

Her tone waned away as she entered the alley, discovering all the balloons and something the blazing mare had completely ignored, how the ground was covered of pink chalk that would puff at each step. "What in Equestria is happening here?" She asked as the unicorn reached the mare's side. She couldn't help but smile at just seeing the joyous display. Victory was about to answer when she saw her happy look, she shook her head and with a "na thyng", turning around in whirls of chalk she trotted away.

Behind her was the balloon still afloat, flouting her by just being there. She wouldn't give it a glance, left the alley to a puzzled young mare who, seeing her leave, decided to rush "wait!" after her. It had been but an incident, the balloons left alone were coloring this speck of Ponyville for nopony, silent, just before chaff, snakes and paper streamer banged everywhere. Pinkie landed right in the middle, "I'm baaaaack!" to discover her balloon missing a mare. She first looked around, searching on the ground to see hoofsteps leaving the alley.

"Eh!" She groaned. "Somepony stole my pony!" She rose, chalk on her snout. "One does not simply steal a sad pony from Pinkie Pie!"

With those words she sneezed then galloped after the others, past the town hall towards the bridge, after the bridge towards Sweet Apple Acres. Passing in front of the Carousel.


	7. Across two realms

This is the truth, that Ponyville was Ponyville no more, a town full of calm, full of glee and full of life coloring its hills of houses and yet, and yet… so empty. There they were two mares among mares filling those spaces of pasture green among the front of high nested buildings, there they were in the middle of nothing as Twilight in her passionate voice kept talking, of wonderful things, her by her side then slightly behind her then behind the lavender mare as she would walk toward one of the bridges she kept looking around, like aggressed. Ponyville was Ponyville, a town so happy from those who lived there to those wide reaching trees, this was what it was through her eyes, this was what was keeping her tense and the novelty.

Oblivious of what her guest could think Twilight kept pacing at her joyful pace, trotted on the bridge as she talked eyes closed, too happy to have been entrusted a student by the Princess, even more happy not to have lost her five minutes after they met. "Do you like this town?" she asked, turning around to discover the blazing mare had halted fast before the bridge.

"Ther hous lakken myn queene rynen. Thei mahte be of outioiying, thei art nat real."

"There you go again with your funny talk!" Twilight answered, amused, she poked it to her and her hoof touched Victory's nose, who frowned. The unicorn surprised by this angry look quickly withdrew with an embarrassed "sorry".

As she would try to figure out what had upset the mare her guest was watching her walk away, on the bridge, watched the bridge and on its edges the grass plunged in quiet water. This was a river to cross, she shook her head then looked afar where mountains were and in the distance the sky lines of towers, she looked at Canterlot as a mark in this foreign world. "Victory?" Asked the young scholar and she turned back to the bridge where the unicorn was looking at her a bit confused. So was it, now, so natural to cross a stream.

"You can come, the bridge is solid. See?" Twilight encouraged her, tapping the stone under her. Tale told it was wood planks but those bridges were of stone, so the tale had it wrong. Victory was still hesitating, her foreleg up, like a foal before a leaf. "You're not afraid of bridges, are you?" Her tone made Victory glare.

So was it, now, so natural to cross a stream. She smirked, defiant, finally put herself together and walked across, past the unicorn who sighed and joined her to the other side.

"See? That was easy!" Twilight rejoiced.

"Pertelyche."

"I was afraid of stairs myself, when I was very very young! They seemed so steep, I could stop and cry-" why was she even- "what I meant to say is, Ponyville is very friendly, you have nothing to worry about!"

As Sun calls storms, as wolfs the hunter or a void filled with air, those ominous words were answered by a loud: "Hose!" And she just got time to look to her side to miss witnessing her guess being wiped away by a strong stream of water. Things went fast as Rarity ran from the Boutique, her sister still with the hose in her mouth, so happy. Her fabulous friend had galloped and, like relieved, put a hoof on her elbow:

"Oh thank you! Thank you Twilight!"

"Uh… for what?"

"Why!" Rarity exclaimed. "For bringing this poor soul here!"

Before adding one word the pure unicorn, with dignity, sprinkled the downed mare with a powder as white as her, then she took on her to rub that dress of bristle and make the powder froth and pop in many bubbles. Victory was agitated, still chocking from the stream she gulped a "telle myn queene I fauht ahtlice…" Watching those legs struggle in the air as Rarity pressed her rub Twilight stood aside, unsure, then noticed the little sister was at her side enjoying the scene, hose still ready.

"Sweetie Belle, what's happening?" The unicorn couldn't help but ask.

"We're vanquishing the horror for the greater good!" The filly happily answered.

"But I-" she approached Rarity: "what are you doing to Celestia's protégé?" There was, in fairness, a bit of stress in her voice.

In a hush of her curly hair the unicorn kept her eyes on the task while answering: "In a moment my dear! I am trying very hard not to think of fleas… too late! I'm thinking of it!" And she trembled, but kept rubbing. "This is debasing! I can't stand watching my marvelous hooves touch all this filth!" And in a fainting high pitch: "I think I'm getting sick!" By now Victory had ceased to fight and, under the mass of froth, she seemed near unconscious. Her eyes, her dim eyes, were expressing nothing.

"So…" Twilight finally asked. "You wanted to give her a bath."

Her friend stopped the instant to turn and answer, as distressed: "B- bu- but how can you be so ruthless!"

"Me? I am the one being ruthless?!"

"Look at this repulsive hideousness!" Rarity exclaimed, pointing at Victory like she would at a snake: "I can barely tell there is a mare behind that beast! She must feel so… so bad!"

"What?" Reacted Twilight as she began to understand.

"Ponies must feel good, ponies must feel clean and graceful! It is our ravishing toilet that separates us from animals!"

With that she made a sign for her little sister to approach and wash the froth away, leaving a pool of water where the blazing mare, her bristle even more ardent as before, was coughing. For a moment Rarity looked satisfied, ready to take the next step when she froze. That fur was still as rough, the mane still untamed, all her efforts in vain, as victory turned her void look to her she felt like faltering. And she was stammering but when she saw the mare get up something in her seemed to break.

"Everypony to herself!" She yelled and taking a bottle of perfume she threw it breaking at Victory's legs. A puff of perfume blasted among them, making all of them cough, Twilight with her eyes in tears tried to call her friend but she saw her running to the Carousel. Only Sweetie Belle stood with them, with the hose, the little filly still waiting to splash more things with her new toy.

"I'm deeply sorry" the unicorn tried to say, to Victory, "I don't know what happened to my friend. She was… just not herself..."

"I charge nat" the earth pony answered in a shake to dry herself. "Bot thou wol amaistrie me freendshipe." Her glance was piercing.

Had Twilight told her something entirely, with the same tone, her answer would have been the same. Now the filly was getting bored, looking at the Carousel where her sister was. She looked around while Twilight was making sure her guest wouldn't keep something against her friend, Sweetie Belle paid little attention but observed as other ponies approached.

"She will learn to know you better, Victory," the unicorn kept comforting the now very tense mare, "I promise."

"Victory?" A voice hopped just at a few steps. "Now that's a name I bet I heard somewhere!"

Applejack had approached at her strong pace, hat down against the sun and at the side of the farmmare her most quiet friend, Fluttershy followed. Both had come from the path leading to the farm, as their hooves could tell. Even after days the soil was still muddy on shady parts.

"Heya Twilight! Sweetie Belle! So what's the frackus 'round here?"

"Oh! Oh!" The filly swayed her foreleg. "You should have been there, I got to use the hose!"

"Ah saw that" Applejack answered with a smirk. "Who's the lady?"

She had designated Victory by head gesture, a little nod to her mood. The familiar name had made her forthcoming to the newcomer, and yet she felt some tension, which was showing on her face, suspicion almost. By luck Fluttershy had no such feeling, while timid she took on her to ask the same, in a whisper, "will she stay with us?" As an invitation. It hadn't reached Twilight's thought, that her shy friend was watching Victory in the eyes, those dim dull eyes, but was still smiling and welcoming. Maybe as animals would have such eyes themselves, or maybe because she could see past them.

That thought had never crossed her.

"Applejack, Fluttershy!" The purple unicorn obliged: "This is Victory! She comes from Canterlot, by request of the Princess!"

A gasp cut her. It had happened so far, the moment she uttered "Canterlot" Fluttershy had turned to fear. The shy pegasus had plunged to the ground and hidden her face, trembling even more at the mention of the Princess. "What now…" couldn't help but think Twilight at this sight.

"You okay 'Shy?" Applejack patted the pinky mane of her friend, who calmed a bit.

"No I'm not" The distressed mare murmured. "Luna…"

"Uh, Fluttershy" Twilight intervened. "Victory has been sent by Celestia, to learn about friendship."

The pegasus, fur like cream, opened her legs and, in a timid look, expressed a "oh" of relief, then really relieved she looked away like ashamed of her attitude. At that instant only one pony was suspicious of her conduct. The blazing earth pony with her wet mane like a wet shooting star was smirking. She had understood. She had understood the confusion, and how frightened that pegasus had been when she thought… Her wide eyes were now fixed on this shy young mare, waiting.

"So," the unicorn broke their mutual uneasiness, "where were you two headed?"

"We were on our way to her cottage," Applejack answered straight, "ya' won't believe what happened!"

"It's those groundhogs again?" Twilight sighed. "We already spent yesterday running after them!"

"Well, ah' wouldn't mind having you 'round to deal with them brats!"

"Oh, uh…" Fluttershy intervened.

She would say nothing more, but her hesitation had told all. "Sorry" Celestia's student answered, the unicorn with her grieved face was explaining how she had a lesson to give to her new student – how proud she was to use that word. And she was afraid to make her wait, so they would have to manage without her. But those words Victory barely heard them, concentrated on every sign the creamy pegasus was letting show, her nervousness, her glances around, the long curve of her hair. Victory's smirk deepened, ferocious.

"I yisce to seen ther grundhoggs…"


	8. That which is missed

A few words and everything had changed, after all that happened the only remain was this feeling of being left aside, stranger to the events. She had had, what, hosed down a pony twice, and that was it. Now the front of the Carousel was splashy, full of muddy hoofprints coming and leaving, accompanied by the strong smell of perfume, and that was it. The flower white filly hung the hose on its hook, a bit disappointed when she heard yet another running with short breath.

She turned and saw Spike, the baby dragon holding a letter up over his head while running straight to the pools of water, to stop and pause for a moment.

"Eyah Spike!" Sweetie Belle waved at him.

The scaly dragon answered: "Hi Sweetie Belle! Was Twilight here?"

It took the filly out of her consideration, if she could also hose down Spike, she brushed the idea away and, vexed by the lack of splashing, she admitted the unicorn was there. Her tone of complaint rehearsed how her sister told her to wash the newcomer, then how she barricaded herself in the Boutique and Applejack and Fluttershy came…

"Thanks! I must go now, have fun!" Spike answered in a hurry.

He was running again, running away at the pursuit of Twilight. Like yesterday thought Sweetie Belle as she watched him bravely carry his letter. He was going… to Applejack's farm… "Wait!" The filly yelled, too late, "She is at the cottage!" He was already out of reach, running as fast as possible on his little legs, a purple body of greenish fins among the first trees leading to Sweet Apple Acres, almost opposite to the path taken by the others.

Fluttershy was leading, which meant the creamy pegasus was one step behind Twilight discussing with her about that troubling pair of groundhogs. For a bit Applejack had joined them, then noticed how the last mare was lagging behind, way too behind, and raising the hoof she let her catch up and join her side.

"So" the cowmare tried to break through Victory's stern look. "Victory right? Pleasure to meet ya, I'm Applejack and me and my family own Sweet Apple Acres! It's a-"

"I wit it al yete." The blazing mare cut abruptly.

"Geez, I was just trying to be friendly!"

It made Victory only more secluded, looking away at the beautiful landscape surrounding Ponyville and her pace, at first stronger in a resilient feeling, soon slowed even further. Now the cowmare was certain she didn't quite like that new mare, and her name again familiar was only strengthening her opinion. She knew it was from somewhere, she just couldn't tell where, like a very, very old memory.

She was about to quicken her pas when Victory, looking at her again with her dim eyes, asked: "Wat do yow wit aboute ther grundhoggs?" It was a bit aggressive, like an accusation. Applejack definitely didn't like the tone.

"Now what does that mean?" She said to keep her composure.

"Thy freend…" this instant of pause, 'Jack barely noticed it… "Floterschey is leyn."

"Well if ya have something to ask about Fluttershy, why don't ya ask her?" The mare answered in a blunt shudder of her straw like mane before leaving the violent mare behind, exasperated. Violent was the word, she didn't know why, she was repressing anger even though she barely understood one word on ten.

They had arrived anyway, as they approached the cottage crossing the bridge they could see past the roof full of foliages a pile of dirt culminating over the garden. There is was, near the chickens enclosure a little mountain of soil sharply elevated like a peak. One of the two groundhogs ran past them with more earth in his paws, they saw the animal climb and drop his load on top of the pile, then fastening it. The other groundhog emerged from a hole just below and joined him in his task.

All mares were watching that, speechless. "Now I've gotta hand it to them! They're real hard workers!" Applejack spitted, still bitter after her talk on the way. She was already counting all the work to return the garden in its normal state.

"Why would they build a mountain in your garden?" Twilight wondered.

"And I see them rascals still have some appetite!"

The cowmare was pointing at bunches of flowers around, packs of them chewed of almost of all their petals, if not to the stem. It was like yesterday, only white flowers had fallen victims to the two animals. All the other pets were watching, passive, the massive elevation of dirt being constructed by the pair. At least they had stopped helping them.

For the lavender unicorn this was too much, she rubbed her toe against her forefront trying to make any sense out of this but she couldn't. Groundhogs would sleep, groundhogs would eat fruits, groundhogs would not sack fields or scratch apples to the core and groundhogs would definitely not build mountains.

"Anypony has a suggestion?" She sighed. "Fluttershy? Applejack? And you Victor… where is Victory?"

Between a sheepish pegasus and the boiling mare was an empty space where a pony should be. They looked around finding no sign of her and Applejack, feeling a bit guilty, promised that the new mare was just behind her. "Not again!" The student exclaimed and she paced back towards the bridge, a bit panicked. Suddenly she stopped as she just had felt something under he hoofs, and raising her toe to her snout she smelled it.

"Pink chalk…"

Marveling was the word the blazing mare had in mind in her own way as she was watching this shining yellow duck keep quaking and pacing with no end, the big copper key turning on its back. The automaton was not stopping, leaving the mare silent and oblivious of the bumps of wheels on the path as Pinkie Pie was carrying her on her bush-disguised-cart.

It stopped only further away, near an old tree where the pinky mare had left her box of joyful stuff. She watched her captive poke her toy, but still no smile, just a foalish curiosity. So Pinkie stretched a bit, focused, before bursting of happiness:

"Hello again! I'm Pinkie Pie and we met before then somepony stole you so I had to steal you back and I want you to watch this!" She breathed as she let a pendulum clock in front of Victory's dim eyes. "You're haaaappy, you're haaaaaappy, you're- eh, this thing works, I feel happier already, don't you? Oh yeah, keep being hypnotized!"

"Thou are that wicche eft." Victory simply stated.

"You recognized me? Great! That means we're friends already! It also means this pendulum doesn't work" and she threw it away. "Eh, wanna play a game? It's a cutie challenge! I show you something sooooo cute and the first to melt loses! Ready?"

And she plunged her legs behind the tree to then rub Victory's face with the foal she was holding, Pound Cake quietly hanging between her hooves. "Isn't it the cutiest most adorable little witsy foal you've seen?" And hugging it "look at me, I already lost!" She conceded as the foal was trying to take grab of her bouncing pink lock. Victory hadn't shown the slightest feeling. She was just, frowning more, which left Pinkie Pie wavering for an instant before she reacted.

"Alright! If one foal doesn't make you d'awe" and she hugged Pound Cake again, "then what do you say about… two foals!" She now had both of them in her hooves, Pumpkin Cake joining her brother, eyes wide fixed on the blazing mare's dim and inexpressive ones.

"Pinkie Pie!" Scolded Twilight's voice, and the festive mare turned to the group of mares approaching. "What are you doing with Victory and the Cake's foals?"

"I'm playing the cutie challenge game! Don't you think they are cute?!" Pinkie answered as she approached the pair of foals to Twilight's muzzle.

Faced with that sight Twilight could only d'aww, even more as Pound Cake waved at her. But she shook her head and focused. "That's not the question!" As she went in for a lecture both other mares stood behind, like stalled by the blazing mare's presence. Fluttershy, already, was pacing back feeling a prey about to be hunt. She was nervous and her anxiety was reflected on Applejack's suspicion just as she refused to break from Victory's glare. It was a silent dispute echoing the explanation Twilight had with her friend.

"Sad? Victory is not sad! She's just a little… disoriented, that's all!"

"Okie dokie!" Pinkie smiled, having listened to nothing the unicorn said. She reassured Twilight, that she wouldn't steal her new student anymore, and she stood there as all departed, with Victory poking the duck toy one last time. Well, she had to bring the foals home now, and then back to her shock therapy mission. But the party professional was still searching, deep in thoughts, how she could put a hoof on the only ingredient powerful enough to trigger a smile in this sad pony.

That's when she heard wings flapping, a dash of wind and the blue dazzling pegasus was hovering in front of her, a basket of white flowers in her hooves.

"Hey Pinkie! Did you see Fluttershy? She wasn't at her cottage!"

While she was answering her, as theatrically as pink could be, Pinkie Pie couldn't stop looking at that basket of flowers. It was tilting in her head, that Dash was preparing a marriage… no wait, she was delivering them for Fluttershy and her eyes told the pegasus that she had understood, just as the pegasus's eyes, and motion to hide the basket, told Pinkie that it was meant to be sort of a secret.

"Rainbow Dash, I need your help!" Suddenly said the pink mare in a now confident grin. "It's a question of joy and sadness so listen well! I… need… fireworks!"


	9. Kindless

Only one of the four mares pacing along the woody path had an idea of what was going on. For Applejack it couldn't be simpler, as the mass of dirt to displace was just too great without some tools, and she regretted now not to have listened to Fluttershy the first time. Her creamy friend was following close to her, her snout dived down on the ground as if she had committed some fault. But it was just the pressure of those eyes, those dim diamond eyes glaring at her from the blazing mare. As for Twilight she wasn't even sure if she was still helping with the groundhogs, or back to giving her friendship lesson.

In this confusion the only certitude was their pace, the way each of them had to trot, nervous or hesitating, tense and for the last of them, the mare was striking dirt like a steed. It was each of their smiles, it was their small talk with words foreign to her, it was each little chip of birds in branches and this happy atmosphere that would keep pushing her. She wouldn't let go of the pegasus who, pressured, let a faint yelp escape.

Hearing that, Applejack stopped and turned: "Now can't ya see ya're scaring her?!" She chided the mare.

Victory first said nothing but her big, inexpressive eyes faced those of the cowmare. They could both feel how tense the air was, like a storm about to break, which made Fluttershy even more affected, almost crawling. "Sche is leyn" the mare hissed, her eyes two cupola of glass. She paced forward, insisted, "Sche is leyn to us." She stepped again toward the pegasus and Applejack, seeing that, blocked her path.

"If ya have something against us spill it out! But I won't stand your attitude much longer!"

"Are yow ablende?" Victory kept hissing. "Sche lay abote the grundhoggs! I do nat wit there bot I wit thou are leyn!" She pressed towards Fluttershy, trying to get past the freckled face blocking her.

"What are you doing, both of you?" Twilight intervened, unsure. "Stop!"

"Telle hem thou ligge!" The blazing mare charged just as she was pushed back, her front on Applejack's front both of them clenching teeth.

Behind them Fluttershy, like terrorized, suddenly muttered an excuse and before her friends could stop her she crawled a bit then jumped and flew away. She had been trembling, all along, and now Twilight was facing the two remaining mares, breaking from their stand-off, both still choleric. The burning mane, wild as trails of stars, was fuming at each of her sudden moves, of frustration. By chance her opponent just sighed and, still unhappy but calmed, simply wished to hear an apology. She was ready to forget, even to show regrets, but she needed to hear those words first, from the fiery mare, that she regretted too.

Her wait was in vain. The lavender unicorn broke their silence, proposing to keep going and in her tone was the same disbelief, of such a conduct, the same lack of understanding.

"I'm sorry, Twi'…" Applejack sighed again. "Ya're welcome in my farm but she ain't coming, not until she apologizes."

"Not you too, Applejack!" Her friend pleaded. But she stopped short after that, unable to defend Celestia's protégé. What was there to say, when she saw her scare away her shiest friend. It was just… mean. Whatever the reason, it was just that. She couldn't understand what was happening, why somepony sent by Celestia would conduct herself that way. But, also, why all of her friends were so… so…

"Sorry, sugarcube, I know ya did nothing wrong." The brave mare comforted her friend. "And I know she" a bit of anger burst as she glanced at Victory "is important to ya."

"I understand" Twilight sadly answered.

Victory couldn't care about what they could say, those words, those foreign accents. She was furious for so many reasons, willing to trample on the ground. And each time the queen's student was giving her a vexed look, she felt even angrier at herself. When the unicorn came and told her to follow her, back to the town, she just nodded obediently, with a last strong glare at the other mare. She was striding, away from the woody path, back to the full light of the sun leaving behind this Stetson hat that had opposed her.

Applejack watched them go away, a bit of remorse in her heart. Maybe she was unfair and this new mare was really just a bit lost, maybe she had been rude herself. Twilight, of them three, was enduring the most. But what was done was done. She turned and immediately bumped into Spike. "Watch where ya're…" she recognized the baby dragon, his letter still in his hand, getting up just as she apologized.

She pointed at the letter: "Is that a love letter?" She grinned.

"Nope! It was in front of the library, I think it's for that mare Twilight was meant to greet. Anyway, I must go find her now!"

And he returned to running as the mare left behind wondered who could write to this dreadful pony. She shrugged, it was probably nothing, and only when reaching this conclusion did she notice that the dragon was sprinting to Fluttershy's cottage. She facehoofed, as he was way gone by now, giggled a bit and trotted to the farm.

From the park they could see the orchards of apple trees covering the hills, fenced and far, and slightly hidden the high towers of Canterlot cut on the mountains. Twilight paced patiently as her new student was licking water from the fountain, then watched her sit in the grass.

"Good!" The unicorn stated as her world had finally returned to normal. "Let's begin your first lesson! So, what do you know about friendship?"

Victory watched her silently, waiting for the unicorn to continue as if no question had been asked. She looked at her in return, smiling, encouraging an answer but nothing came. So they blinked. And then Twilight's smile faded for stress. Did it mean… that the mare knew nothing? Or she didn't understand her question, but then, she should have reacted by now. Yet Victory was mute, without the slightest reaction.

"Let's try that differently…" she carefully backtracked. "Did you have any friend? Any memory or experience about friendship?"

The blazing mare shook her head: "Thou aske of thyngs passede. Lete, Twilight Sparkle."

The studious unicorn was about to insist when she noticed how stern the mare was. So she sighed and decided to let go, for now. "Okay then…" she was not sure where to begin. Then she took a good look at her new student and it struck her, that the most elementary lesson would be one of manners. "Could you try to smile?" And she finally obtained a reaction, one a little dismayed. That of colts when faced with food they didn't like. It amused her to see the blazing mare plead to avoid it.

"It's easy, I promise." She almost rolled her eyes at the thought. "Just think of something pleasant!"

For a moment the mare hesitated, her bristle reddish on the grass, she muffled her muzzle in the blades then closed her eyes and, after a few seconds, she began to smile. A sincere, warm and peaceful smile, one confident, one trustful, almost heartening. Then she opened her eyes and it turned into a smirk as she forced herself to keep it. The young unicorn could see those efforts strain on the mare's face, embarrassed.

"It's… not so bad!" She rejoiced. "We'll keep training your smile until it comes naturally! Sometimes a nice smile is all that's needed, don't you think?"

"Are you kidding of course it's needed you feel so good when you smile you could explode and then explode again so you've got to make sure you don't smile too much although there is no such thing as too much smiling it's like science and oooooh you meant her! Sorry, I won't interrupt anymore, carry on!"

Victory had not even blinked at Pinkie Pie's presence, as if she had known all along that the pinky fluffy young mare had stood there with them. For Twilight it wasn't as easy, she put it together and asked how long it had been, which was, since the beginning of their lesson. Then Pinkie cross promised she wasn't there to steal the pony. She would just stay there, quietly, "so quiet you won't even know I'm theeere!"

"So… you won't disturb us?" The unicorn asked, hopeful.

"Oh I won't!" Pinkie laughed. "She will!"

And she pointed at an alley of the park where a group of mares was coming, at their head the pure unicorn still stressed, her curly mane a bit worn out. "Here!" She yelled at the sight of Victory who only glanced at them, her smirk faltering. Accompanying Rarity were a dozen stallions and mares, styled, gasping as they looked at their task. "Her mane!" Exclaimed one, "Look at her teeth" whispered another as they approached.

"Stop right there!" Twilight rushed to stall them. "Rarity, I'm in the middle of a lesson!"

"It will only take a minute or two, darling!" Rarity said as they went passed her, she stayed and added: "Surely you won't tell the finest of Ponyville to wait before expressing their talent on this poor helpless monster!"

"She is not a monster!" The young student shouted in response, but she was interrupted by a sudden scream that pierced her heart. Victory had stood up and smashing suddenly, threatened the group in falling back. "Do nat rynen myn hooe! Thou mordrer!" For a moment she had sounded panicked, now revolted she was fuming at them, battling with her hooves in plain air. All were distressed, even Pinkie Pie who was trying to calm her down. "Not a monster?" Rarity asked, her voice shocked.

"Rarity, Victory, anypony! That's enough!" Twilight exploded, and Victory stopped. "How can I teach friendship when all of Ponyville is so hysterical!? Don't you see you're treating her like an animal?" She scolded Rarity who, after a second, seemed on the verge of crying. "And you, stop threatening ponies like that! You're even scaring me!"

Victory immediately answered: "Bot they wolde haue-" her voice shaken, and she was trying to smirk.

"Well they won't now! So please, pretty please! Behave!"

It was hard to tell, through her inexpressive eyes, what flow of feelings made her smirk turn agape, her neck lower and her look suddenly break to hang on the ground. All of her strength, her flaming fur and mane and tail seemed a live coal about to be extinguished, yelling inside silently. Twilight looked happily, finally getting some remorse – she thought it was remorse – out of the fiery mare. She felt like a teacher at that point, and behind her she felt Rarity had regrets too. Now, there would be a good lesson about all this…

"'Scuse me" blasted a voice in the sky as Dash plunged at their height, "anypony knows where I can find fireworks? No? Ehr…" she observed the group, their looks, the mood. "Okay… don't trouble yourself, keep doing… whatever you're doing."

That's when it caught Victory's eyes. On Dash's rainbow-colored tail, caught between those lively colors a white petal, curved and carved by nature a form she had seen already. Her heart began to beat, stronger, stronger, stronger as she was realizing where she had seen that flower, that white flower. It was hissing in her head, she stroke the soil and muttered furiously: "I wiste sche hadde leyn! Ay wiste it!" She wanted to yell, for Celestia's young student to follow her, but the unicorn was, like others, looking at her again shocked by her behavior.

For an instant, Victory felt trapped, encircled. She suddenly turned away and galloped, not very fast, hiding the effort, toward Fluttershy's cottage, followed by Twilight and her friends.


	10. Leave me judge

He arrived in the park exhausted, about to collapse, the brave dragon made a few steps forward toward the odd crowd assembled near the fountain and asked: "Eh… anyone… seen… oh never mind." And he returned to striding, dragging the letter with him.

As ironic as it could be, twilight was coming, as the afternoon had lasted the sun with renewed strength let its flames turn the sky and its clouds into a brazier. Shadows were sharpening, shadows of trees, shadows of houses, shadows of the mountain like pile of earth accumulated in her garden. Fluttershy was lain down not far, watching the two groundhogs finally eat. She was delighted, relieved, even if her farm friend still wasn't back. But then one of the groundhogs began scratching the basket, damaging it, so she hushed him with her muzzle.

"Yow!" A blazing voice thundered.

She felt as weak as the last day of celebrations, when pegasi had made a gigantic storm. She got up, trembling, just in time to bow again in fear as she witnessed the furious mare approaching her. Around her her animals began to panic, a cacophony of their flight just as she was tackling herself on the ground, hooves on her head, as shaking as an autumn leaf.

The dark shadow of the mare covered her and she felt it, like a flow, the flow of her trailing mane and her crimson fur like boiling. Victory raised a hoof, about to thunder some more when she stopped, her motion suspended, put her hoof back on the ground and forced herself to smirk.

"Telle me. Whar do ther blome comen from." And she designated the basket of flowers that the groundhogs had left behind. "Whar do they comen from."

"Th… th… the flowers?" Fluttershy trembled. "I… uh… from the Everfree Forest?"

"Lixt!" The mare yelled, but as she reared furious she was stopped by a white bunny jumping on the creamy young mare, on top of the pink smooth mane to point a defiant stick against her, just under her muzzle. To see this white bunny protect the pony made the mare step back and she heard, at that moment, coming from behind a gust of wind making her mane flow past her neck. Dash had landed just near her as the others, running past the bridge, were about to join them.

"What's going on here? And who are you?" The rainbow pegasus flared up.

The others had now joined them, forming a group around the terrified pegasus and her tormentor. Twilight approached and asked, again, what was happening, but every mare wanted to speak at the same time and among them the fiery one was nervously watching them question her. She was still trying to smirk.

A hit of the bunny stick on her head broke her frozen state. The pet had just jumped on her to assail her hair, turning the crest of her mane wild. She poked her attacker away, then paced to the two groundhogs, to take one by her teeth and bring her back to the discussing group who had finally stop discussing to watch her act. She put the groundhog before them and pointed it for all of them to see.

"This wouldn't be one of the fancy new companions Fluttershy had found in the Everfree Forest?" Rarity asked, breaking the silence.

"I wouldn't call them fancy…" Twilight answered as she detached from the group, and to Victory, worried: "Is there something about the groundhog?"

"It is non grundhogg." The mare grinned. "It is a montaine ratt."

No other pony understood but for the unicorn it struck her, suddenly, as evidence. Why the two animals were seeking altitude. Why they wouldn't eat fruits from here. She turned to the others and exclaimed out of joy: "Of course! They are marmots!" And she got looks full of questions as the only reaction. But marmots were groundhogs leaving in mountains, used to food that grew at those altitudes. That's why they had piled up the soil in Fluttershy's garden. And she knew exactly, now, what kind of marmot it was:

"Chocolate marmots!" She affirmed.

"Chocolate marmots?" All ponies, including Victory, browed at her affirmation.

But she nodded and went on, explaining it was a species of marmots who would wrap up chocolate all day, as a habit, which is why they had scratched apples: "It's a reflex to them!" And she turned again, to thank Victory for her help, for solving this mystery, just to meet Victory's stern smirk. This was not was she had meant, this was not what the mare wanted to say.

"Yow are myn queene scoler" she said detaching each word painfully, "Ther are montaine ratt, oure" and her smirk seemed to hurt "oure freend ley!"

A quick look behind her made Twilight sure that she wasn't the only pony having difficulties to follow. Yet, as soon as she stopped worrying for words, and began worrying about the tone and the behavior, she began understanding. "Fluttershy… lying?" And immediately: "This is silly! She couldn't know-" But the blazing mare interrupted her:

"Than whar do ther… marmotts comen from" she retorted.

Just as the young unicorn was about to answer, "form the Everfree Forest", she blinked. Marmots lived in altitude, not in the forest. But she brushed the objection aside because there were so many possible explanations. Maybe they were lost or maybe Fluttershy meant a mountain near the forest. Her eyes were telling all, that she was looking for excuses. It made Victory's smirk tremble and she pointed at the basket: "Sche is leyn! Telle hem!" She yelled at Fluttershy.

"Whar do ther blome comen from! Telle sothe!"

"Stop it!" Rarity exclaimed, followed by Twilight who cut through, they were obviously coming from the forest too. Or even from a mountain, or she didn't know but that didn't mean anything. Rarity was already tapping the shy terrorized pegasus head in comfort, glaring at the furious mare. Twilight turned to Dash, begging for help, but found the fiery pegasus silent. She called her name and Rainbow Dash snapped out:

"Twilight…" Her hesitation alone made the young student suddenly feel weak. "She is right. The flowers come from Canterlot, Fluttershy asked me to pick them."

"B… but that still doesn't mean anything!" Twilight revolted, cornered. "It was just the most practical place to find them! It doesn't mean…"

"Anew!" Shouted Victory, making even Rarity step back and all ponies braced as she was about to strike Fluttershy. Her hoof was up, toe down and sharp, that of a war pony. "Telle sothe!" She thundered to the desperate young pegasus lain down at her legs, and she knocked her hoof down on the pegasus.

There were screams, then the young creamy pony squinted at the toe one half inch over her head. She saw a blaze, a burning light at the end of a stick, mesmerizing Victory. The tiny firework was crackling quietly.

"I'm shorry" Pinkie said, holding the bengale light in her mouth. "It'sh all I found. Feel happier?"

"Thou… wicche." Victory muttered, and her dim eyes were fixed on that light burning in front of her, silently. Already diminishing. She retracted her hoof, she stepped back as the others ran to Fluttershy and hugged him, siding all together.

"Wat?" The mare's voice stumbled. "Yow al witie hilyn hir?" And her voice fastened, dominating: "Are yow laweless! Oure queene comaunde thy be sincer a lel! A lahter a fre! a kynde! Haue yow foryete!" And to Twilight: "Wol yow nat heren oure queene!"

Rarity pulled herself, suddenly, to interject: "And who is that 'queen' you keep talking about!"

She felt good, seeing how she had shut that violent mare, happy to have defended her friend. Now the fierce pony was stepping back even more, about to fall as her legs were shaking. "Wat…" she hissed in a faint voice that died like a cold breath. They were all watching her, defiant, protecting the shy pegasus. Even Twilight was watching her, disapproving of her attitude. Suddenly Victory turned away, eyes closed on her feelings, to gallop and they saw her fumble a bit as she was leaving.

"I say good riddance!"

"I don't know" Pinkie wondered, her cheek on Rarity's cheek. "I think she's crying."

The pure white unicorn detached herself from her friend: "Darling, you would not possibly be defending her? Not after what she has done to our poor Fluttershy!"

A weak, broken voice answered her from under her hooves. Fluttershy was repeating, "I'm sorry…" and her eyes were full of tears. She admitted, the day of the Princess, she had found the two marmots in the royal gardens. Then, in the train with Rarity, she had found them. They had snuck in her luggage. They seemed to plead her to keep them. "They seemed so sad…" she sniffed, "in the gardens…" And the two culprits, getting out of their little mountain, ran towards the pegasus to comfort her.

"Fluttershy…" Twilight said in distress. "They were probably terrorized by the thunder…"

But as much as she was moved by her friend's story, she was wondering, deep in her mind, how Victory could have known. She watched the basket, as if there would have been an answer. As a filly Twilight had seen them, we learn from the tale, she had seen them like any Canterlot citizen and never paid attention. How could the mare have known they were coming from the gardens, with so much confidence? Her train of thoughts wrecked when she heard Applejack striding towards them, a shovel in her mouth and on her back mounted on a couple books, a fallen baby dragon.

"Wow, ya all look terrible! What happened?" And quickly: "It's that trouble of a mare, ain't it?"

They nodded and Twilight approaching her assistant noticed the letter. She saw the precious ink, the seal, she saw Victory's name. An anonymous letter she thought, and as she carried Spike on her back, excusing herself to depart, she wondered. But the tale wouldn't tell if her friends had been right from the very start…

* * *

**Now that episode two is finished, I'm free to discuss some more.**

**When chapter five ended I finally planned up to episode seven. I made each episode correspond to an Element, and then learned to theme each chapter separately. Learned that last bit at chapter six, with the description of Ponyville. Dialogs are taking a lot of space and on other occasions I find myself cutting a lot of what I wanted to do, entire scenes.  
**

**But that's fine. Badly written, confusing, most people give up before chapter two. Just wanted to say, I made sure season three wouldn't demolish my story, and I intend to go up to thirteen episodes, if not twenty-six. It will take, what, two years... better than a thousand.  
**

**My only regret is, I can't seem to get the mane six right.  
**


	11. The sparkle we are

I would witness two nights, two nights for every twenty-eight in Victory's tale, one when the Moon was void and one when the Moon was there. There she was passing by the streets of Canterlot, by cold streets toward the central place where the sun memorial stood with its arc like wings of gold. She stopped as her guards took place, she looked around before standing in front of the arc. Her wings battled, her ethereal mane fluttered as magic rose from the dark horn, she stood on her hind legs and feathers fully opening, reaching wide like the arc she hopped in the air. She rose and the Moon rose with her, then the tale suddenly turns silent. What happened? Once the Moon was high and bright among a thousand stars Luna touched ground to look around, again, at the empty place.

Ponies weren't curious this time, this time again no one had come to see her, none at windows. Canterlot was quiet in a quiet night. Luna turned away after a last glance at an alley where a pony usually was, cloaked, a filly she thought that would watch her from afar. But even that cloak was missing and the dark Princess, followed by her guards, returned alone to the castle through streets of ice.

Her sister was waiting, touched by her look, she looked saddened. "No pony watched?" She asked and Luna's silent nod betrayed her pain. The youngest Princess had a cold look, cold eyes on her cold face begging for something impossible. Celestia approached and hugged her, a soft hug not to comfort, but to share. "I, for one, admire your work." And the Princess of Sun added: "At dawn I call one star, at dusk you call thousands." It wasn't true, but it sounded right and in the younger sister's look a tepid feeling of gratitude had tempered her mood. They had to part, their guards crossing, one last time from each side of the hall they wished each other a good night.

Dear sister, I feel lone, with foxes and owls, you yourself playful when I sleep at my time you need rest. She crossed her room full of the moonlight and past thin curtains to her balcony, on the highest towers of Canterlot she put her hooves on the edge, then her muzzle between them to look below, depressed. Downward, in the far distance, was Ponyville. Faint glimmers absorbed by the night. She sighed, then blinked, then raised her head.

Now there it was, persistent in the dark, and she muttered: "That light…"

Light had come back chasing the night, in the morning Sweet Apple Acres was echoing of its activity throughout the orchards. The sturdy mare was smashing trunks in a row, looking at branches to see the apples still a tiny bit green. She put her forelegs on the tree, her head in the low foliages before the voice of her friend interrupted her.

Applejack gave up her inspection to look at Twilight, the young unicorn still looking tired with a book at her side. "Howdy Twilight!" She happily greeted her friend, then left her tree to go join her a bit away from buckets and harnesses. "Good morning to you" her friend repeated as they closed, both of their hooves a bit muddy. She then yawned, convinced it was still too early as the hard working mare in a grin thought that her sister Applebloom would soon go to school, so she had been up for a good two hours.

"Ya going to the park?" Applejack added, pointing to the book.

"Oh that? No no" she exclaimed with a bit of enthusiasm, "that's the answer to all of my questions! See, I gave it a bit of thought" which made Applejack roll her eyes "because I knew I heard words like hers somewhere!"

"Hers?" The farm mare exclaimed. "Ya mean ya still worry about that mare? I thought she'd returned to Canterlot by now!"

"What do you mean? She is-" and Twilight gasped. She had. Absolutely. No idea. Where Victory was. She dreaded to consider the mare back to Canterlot, telling Princess Celestia how her student failed, and she dreaded pretty much every other plausible possibility. "I must go!" She yelped in a high pitch, like a blank voice, and she ran away with her book. Left behind was Applejack, still a bit unsure as to what was happening – yet again – but there were apples to buck and, soon, a sister to send to school. Another chill jolted on the back of her neck: the simple thought of that mare…

She had to be somewhere and that somewhere had better be the library. It was only logical to begin there Twilight thought as she approached the giant tree. She didn't want to think further, just go ask Spike if Victory had passed and plan from there. She knocked once on the door, then repeatedly with a nervous smile, and only a short pause to hastily brush her clear-cut mane. "Shhh" breathed the wind at her ears, she turned to see but there was no pony there. The windows were draped, the mare hesitated but knocked again while still looking around. The second that followed she was rattled by a bursting dragon voice:

"Will you leave me alone?!"

She had jumped back at the voice yelling from just behind the door, and her jump made Fluttershy hop of fear too. "I wanted to warn you…" she murmured while approaching, head low. Twilight shook, surprised, "Fluttershy?" and, a bit angry, went to push the door open as her assistant continued yelling:

"I just want to sleep! Is that so hard to as- oh eh Twilight!" He cut sharp, waving at her with a smile. "Nice morning, right?"

"Spike?" She raised her voice a bit, and behind her was a half hidden Fluttershy.

"It's not my fault! They kept coming back again and again all night! I told them it was dangerous in here but they absolutely wanted me to write and send their stupid letters!"

Already Twilight felt another headache coming, another impossible story to solve. "Later Spike!" She decided. "Celestia's protégé is missing and I have a whole schedule planned on her being here!" And, calming a bit, she continued: "I hoped she would have come here…"

"Uhm…" The creamy pegasus behind her motioned, then fell back as both of them looked at her, then continued: "I, uh, it's the reason I am here."

Victory was at her cottage. The mare as savage as the first rays of light was lain on the entrance carpet as bored as the three fillies with her. "Come on, let's go now!" The little white unicorn pranced as school time neared. Her two friends stopped pulling the mare's mane and tail to join the tiredness.

"This is stupid" Applebloom added after pacing a bit around. "Why are we guarding her anyway? Look at her, she ain't going to go nowhere!"

Scootaloo didn't answer to any of them. The filly pegasus of burning aspiration was still turning around the fallen beast, at times poking at her legs or flank. She was as bored, but she had promised Fluttershy and the Crusaders wouldn't leave her alone, even if that meant being punished by their teacher. She sighed, she didn't want her friends punished. Like them, she wanted to be at school the sooner the better.

"And I woke up for this!" The filly earth pony kept complaining.

"Don't tell me!" Sweetie Belle added. "Rarity almost made a scene!" And she fell down again, tired. "What I would give for some paper and a pen!"

"Yeah" Applebloom followed, scratching earth with her hoof. She then noticed the stroke she did on the soil and she smiled. "Ya know what? I might have an idea!"

At that call all joined her and she showed them, just a few steps away from the blazing mare. Victory didn't care. Her trailing mane was falling on her barely open eyes, an expression of nothingness in them. She was hearing the fillies from away, like noise, and in this nature at a distance from the town she wouldn't tell what thoughts she had. Maybe that of a filly guiding her along the edge of the Everfree Forest. Maybe how she submitted to the lying mare, the same she would have hit if given the chance. She wouldn't tell.

The fillies game attracted her attention, at a word they said, a word she thought she had recognized. They said it again, quickly, but this time she was sure of it: they had said "Luna". She blinked, opened her eyes and ears high she turned to the three Crusaders. They kept sweeping the ground to write on each other their sentences, addresses, like a letter. They were writing a letter, she thought, a letter to the princess of night. Her blood boiled, she stoop up so quickly that it startled the group of fillies. They almost scrambled, looking for the first time at her dim inexpressive eyes, two iris like diamonds.

But the moment Victory was about to threaten them she gritted her teeth and turned away. She repressed the need, the everything that made her life, to be surprised by Scootaloo's question: "Are you feeling alright?" She nodded and, stern, walked a bit to try and avoid any more questions. "What's with her?" Applebloom wondered as they watched her stray some more.

"Eh!" Sweetie Belle screamed. "You are meant to stay here until Fluttershy comes back!"

"It's okay" Fluttershy quietly answered, "I am here now."

The fillies rejoiced when they saw her, not even questioning why Twilight was accompanying the shy pegasus. They were all too happy to be allowed to leave, Scootaloo first who, relieved, showed them the mare before offering to let them alone. To which Twilight Sparkle, trotting towards her new student, answered by the negative. At her approach Victory had turned, facing Celestia's trusted and bracing but the lavender unicorn simply was all too happy to even think of scolding her.

"We're coming with you girls" she said to the fillies, while still looking at the blazing mare. She got no reaction from her but definite groans from the Crusaders.

"Oure sicle is blendyn a dwellyn" Victory eventually said. "I wolde calle it fikyn bot myn devoir comaunde a this is oure launde. Anly holde thy trouthe, it is al I aske."

As she spoke Twilight had opened her book, scrammed through its pages before closing it at the end.

"I knew it! You speak like an old book! And that's why I'm sending you" she giggled "to kindergarten!"


	12. All that's left

Long had gone the school of life for a school of wood and its steeple ringing as they approached. There were colts and fillies crowding the entrance and jostling each other, their moans, their laughs. The three Crusaders as if called hurried to join them, scrambled along the path of dirt and climbed the stair in time to enter the school at the trail of other schoolfoals. "Wat is this stalle?" Victory asked, her voice curious, her eyes dull. It made even Fluttershy chuckle as they paced towards the door still open, from which sounds of moved stools and tapping hooves echoed, covered by the appeasing voice of the teacher.

Cherrilee greeted her visitors, her grape fur contrasting with the harshness of her blackboard. She left the front of the class to meet them at the entrance and the class, at their desks, took this occasion to keep muttering and play.

"Good day Cherrilee!" Twilight stepped forward. "Sorry to disrupt your lesson" and once passed the civilities: "I do have an important service to ask. Could you take one more pupil in your class? Please?"

"Of course!" Cherrilee answered, almost joking. "I'm always delighted when fillies want to learn!" Then she looked past Twilight, a quick glance: "So, where is she?"

"Here!" Twilight proudly said while giving way to the blazing mare. Cherrilee blinked, looked at the Princess's student with doubt but quickly found back her smile. "Don't worry Twilight Sparkle" she said as she walked to her new student, "I'll take good care of her!" The moment later Victory has raised her eyes to meet the teacher's look and her dim, glassy eyes plunged into those of Cherrilee made her freeze. But Twilight was already thanking her and taking her leave, at the same time taking Fluttershy with her.

For a second says the tale, or maybe for three the two mares contemplated each other's eyes in silence, one inexpressive, the other constrained. She escaped her unease by telling her to sit and, to her relief, the mare obeyed. "Good!" And pacing back to the front of the class she asked Victory to present herself to the class.

"I am Victorie." The mare simply said, and any effort from Cherrilee to get any more out of her went in vain. The grape mare hesitated for a moment to let her new pupil alone or to insist, and as a last resort she proposed her to come and write her name on the blackboard. "Wryten?" Victory's voice was shocked. "I do nat wryte! That is vilanye!" And the whole class, for what little they understood, broke in laughs.

"She doesn't even know how to speak!" Twist couldn't help but mock, followed by the cynical intonation of Tiara: "Or to write! And she calls herself a grown-up?" And this got a new round of laugh before the teaching mare could finally intervene and restore calm into her classroom. After a long look at her case which sparked a few more giggles she finally decided on grammar and reading lessons on the spot.

This was perfect thought Sweetie Belle and her thought was pretty much shared by all Crusaders. As the class was taking notes and answering questions they kept on writing each at their desk, completely oblivious of the lesson. For a moment they had felt observed, thought it was the teacher but since nopony interrupted them the three fillies had kept on their own exercise, only to be perturbed each time the mare among pupils would answer a question and provoke new giggles.

Suddenly Applebloom stomped her desk with both hooves and rose from her stool. "I know that name!" She loudly yelled in the middle of the lesson. The whole classroom went silent, suspended on the foalish farm filly and her red ribbon, her eyes wide open in realization.

"Applebloom?" Cherrilee intervened. "You have something to share?"

"Miss Cherrilee!" The filly choked as her hoof suddenly waved in the air, pointing to the blazing mare. "I know that mare! I know who she is!" And the whole class, her friends included, held their breath, waiting.

"Well that's great!" Her teacher quietly responded, and she was about to say more.

"Great?" The young crusader's lips trembled. "It's more than great! She is in the stories Granny Smith told me before sleeping! Stories about Victory, the mare who closed the gates of Tartarus! She beat the bell snake, she defeated a witch and made dragons flee! She is, like, a knight or something!"

The silence that followed felt horrible, a long, painful wait during which all pupils stared at each other, at their teacher, at their confident classmate and at the mare uncomfortably sit on this foal stool, her look away with those impressive, inexpressive eyes. The sky was cloudy, there was no sunlight coming from the windows. Her fur seemed as dull as her look, her trailing mane just warm. Sweetie Belle bit her lip and closed her eyes just as her best friend realized.

"I'm telling the truth!" But it was too late and added to the mockery that filled the classroom was Cherrilee's gentle rebuttal, that she shouldn't believe all those old tales. Of course she knew she had to stop, but Applebloom also knew she was right. She turned to the only one who could believe her, to Victory, and kept asking with her voice already breaking: "Ya tell them I'm right!" And at the other side Scootaloo, looking with attention, was also waiting for Victory to approve.

She angrily turned to that little filly and in a harsh voice blasted: "I am Victorie, theyn of myn queene, a Kaunter knyghte mody a hehlich! Gabbe myn nam a I wol crake oure scolle. Leue thyngs passed yow blak mere wenche!"

Luna stood up the moment she felt the jolt of magic in the air flow through the window and come at her to unravel its scroll. She jumped on the message about to break the seal when she noticed it wasn't the same. It was for her sister and, brutally, the youngest Princess felt weak. How long had she been waiting, she wasn't sure, it had been a moment since she had lowered the Moon. She yawned, rubbed the carpet under her where all the other letters had strayed. For a moment she hesitated to open this one before getting up and giving the scroll to a guard.

With that done she went past the carpet, along her room to her bed to lie for a bit of time. The room was still dark through the curtains and the dome of glass. It was late but she couldn't bring herself to sleep. Just a moment, for just a moment she would close her eyes. When a knock on her door woke her up, she knew it had been more than a moment.

"Luna?" Celestia's voice came from the other side of the door. "I am sorry to disturb you, can I enter please?"

"Of course, sister."

Her answer had come naturally as her mind was entirely elsewhere, counting the scrolls on the carpet to make sure there was no new ones. She was tired, but excited, she couldn't hide it when the doors opened and Celestia, entering the room, brought the sunlight with her. Her older sister, slender and pure, noticed the phoenix asleep in its golden cage, at Luna's side. She didn't seem to mind that Luna had borrowed her pet.

"Have I woken you up? I'm deeply sorry for that."

"On the contrary Celestia!" Luna happily answered, and while her sister had heard the same joy this morning she was surprised. "I wish I could read you all the letters my new students wrote to me!" And she took one in her mouth to show it to her sister.

"I am… glad for you" Her sister carefully said as she couldn't help but read a few sentences under Spike's clawriting; then look at the twenty-six other letters around. "A correspondence is a wonderful thing to share, but aren't you taking it… too seriously?"

"Look at this one!" Luna said, oblivious: "It says oranges are blue!"

"There… are no blue oranges."

"Now there are!" The young Princess concluded and she fell on her bed the letter tight on her chest, joyful. She felt alive, she felt alive! Celestia had approached her pet's cage, more to give herself time than to make sure she was fine. She then looked at a few letters under her legs, written directly by the three fillies, their hoofwriting everywhere showing, describing all and everything.

"Luna." The sister asked, returning to the bed. "I know how much it counts to you, but they are just fillies."

"But they like my nights!" The dark Princess reacted on the spot. "Celestia, they like my nights!" There was something like a hidden distress in that voice. "They are my students now, just like you have yours! We are doing nothing wrong, please sister, understand…"

Celestia nodded, calming her sister. She was tall and quiet, her flowing mane like waves in the air, constant: "Very well." And she closed to Luna, their muzzles almost touching. "But if they decide to stop, you must accept their decision, like I should accept if Twilight wanted to leave me."

"Don't worry sister" the younger Princess nodded, and she smiled: "I am certain they will keep sending lots and lots of letters!"

While saying that she had closed her eyes, delighted, and the weight of her long vigil came back abruptly. Celestia watched her little sister slowly doze and mutter a few more words about the letters, rub the parchment on her chest less and less as she went asleep. The white Princess reached for the blanket and covered her sister with it and rubbed her cheek. "I hope you're right" she said as if Luna could still hear her. For sole answer Philomena shook her beak, which reminded the Princess to send an answer to Twilight.

"Dear Twilight Sparkle" Spike diligently read on their way to the school. "My sister is enjoying those letters and expects to receive more of them. Wow, she actually likes their drivel?" The baby dragon remarked, then continued: "I must ask Spike, that's me! to oblige to their requests and I entrust you, my most faithful student, to help those three fillies in the choices they make."

"You see Spike" the young student relaxed, her pace quieter, "there was nothing to worry about. It's just three fillies being playful!"

"Yeah well twenty-six is still too much" Rainbow Dash dropped as she skimmed along the group, "even for a Princess." Rarity and Applejack nodded but they heard the bell announcing the end of class. They suddenly pressed to reach the school before all the pupils would leave, running just like the Crusaders did in the morning, when these letters were an exciting secret.


	13. From dream to night

There was still time, time to change things, time to calm their inner worries, there was actually a lot of time so they slowed down while approaching the school entrance. They stood at the side when it finally opened and the flow of schoolfoals unfurled. Both sisters were looking one for a ribbon and the other for the net, neatly brushed coiffure of Sweetie Belle. They thought to have seen her white horn inside the room and Twilight stepped forward to take a pick when she was met by the hurry of a blazing mare.

"Twilight Sparkle!" Victory shook her like the branch of a tree. "This be herisie! Herisie!"

"Glad to see you too" the young student said trying to calm the mare. "I take it your first day of class went well?"

"The Mone is nat slicke!" And she poked Twilight's snout: "Not smooth! The Moon!"

And faced with Twilight's complete lack of reaction she left exasperated, fleeing the place that dared question the obvious. "Herisie!" She turned a last time to yell at the school and a few colts and fillies laughed joyfully at the scream. Then Dash gestured madness and in a nod they all focused back to the fillies who, going last, were closely followed by their teacher.

Scootaloo halted fast the moment she noticed Rainbow Dash looking at her near the door, and her two friends tumbled on her. They smiled to their sisters while the filly pegasus rubbed her temple, embarrassed. She was the only one of the three to understand that it wasn't just a big sister coming to accompany her little one home. She saw Twilight join Cherrilee behind them and the two mares casually discuss, as did Sweetie Belle with Rarity while their earth friend had hopped in between Applejack's embrace.

For Cherrilee it was just that and she let them do, turning to talk about her new pupil. "Is she from a foreign place?" To which Twilight laughed and shook her head: "She's from Canterlot actually! Probably a librarian who spent too much time alone in old books."

"Ya're talking of Victory?" Applebloom reacted and she approached the two adults. "She ain't a librarian! She's-"

"Awesome!" Scootaloo had jumped to mute her friend with a big nervous smile. "She's fun and plays with us and she is really bad at hopscotch!"

"Are we talkin' about the same mare?" Applejack asked, skeptical.

The filly unicorn intervened: "But it's true! She even helped us write our letters, using" and she cleared her throat, "propre forme an' figur!"

All mares looked at each other before Cherrilee asked, "what letters?" and the fillies explained. How Princess Luna had come to them in the night and proposed them to become her students. "Like Twilight!" Sweetie emphasized and they had accepted. They were thrilled, it was so visible, they had kept writing letters since about everything that would cross their minds. Which also meant that they had paid no attention to the class, and that they had disturbed Spike all night long. "Sorry" they concluded, feeling a bit of remorse before remembering that they wrote to a Princess and their smiles came back the very second.

"Girls" Twilight intervened, trying to temper them. "Being a student is a lot of responsibilities. You have to study hard, you have schedules, examinations."

"Nope!" Applebloom jolted. "Princess Luna explicitly told us to write what we wanted! Sorry Twilight but you chose the wrong Princess!"

"She got you there" Dash noted, irking her friend.

"Listen Twilight, sugarcube?" Applejack added. "I don't like the idea either but if my lil' Applebloom wants to write to a Princess, well, I'm not stopping her." And Rarity confirmed, because even Luna was fine with that, she would not prevent "my precious little sister" from fraying with a highness. It made the fillies run into their hooves in gratitude and they hugged while Cherrilee, amused, patted an abated unicorn.

"Fine, fine!" She conceded. "But you have to promise that you will take those letters seriously."

"Don't worry Twilight!" The three Crusaders said almost at the same time. "We will!"

Whether you believe this tale or not, it took up to a few hours into the night for a letter to come back, marked by Celestia's seal.

By then all mares had gone their own way and the young student, returned to sleep, was woken up by her baby dragon. "What is it?" She asked. "A letter from the Princess?" But the assistant declined and explained that she had lost her own student yet again, and that Fluttershy yet again had taken her to her cottage. Twilight plunged head first into her cushion, unable to believe she had forgotten about that, yet again. She simply couldn't keep track of everything that had happened lately.

They strode towards Ponyville, the purple dragon shining on her back under one of the most beautiful nights they had witnessed those last months, a real marvel. The cottage's chimney was releasing a trail of smoke black on black on the constellation of stars. At their approach the door opened and Fluttershy appeared in the bright light.

"I'm so, so, so deeply sorry" The creamy pegasus apologized to Twilight. "I didn't want to disturb you in the middle of the night."

Spike was silently yelling behind them at this ludicrous idea while Twilight, appeasing her shy friend, asked where Victory was. She had expected to enter but, to her surprise, Fluttershy paced to the other side of her house, to the garden where, among a couple of bunnies was lying the mare. There se was her fur dark in the dark grass, her mane white in contrast and at any moonlight like a live coal, burning. She had noticed the two mares, her queen's student but barely opened her eyes. She seemed tired.

Twilight was about to come to her when Spike, down from her back, pulled her and said: "Twilight, don't forget the let" he couldn't finish as a magic breath escaped his mouth. There was little light but little difficulty for the dragon to recognize the regal seal. He opened it and began to read:

"Dear Twilight, my sister is wondering why she is receiving no more letter from the fillies." He exchanged a quick glance, then continued in a worried tone: "She's about to leave the castle and come to Ponyville."

"Princess Luna is coming?" Twilight echoed, making her shy friend yelp.

"Wy the destresse?" Victory replied in a sour voice. "It's al only the blak mere."

"May… maybe they couldn't send their letters..." Fluttershy suggested, worried. "Maybe they didn't want to annoy poor Spike."

"You stopped?!" The young student almost freaked out in front of the Boutique, just as Rarity gestured for her to make less noise. The little Sweetie Belle nodded, yawning, they had given up on those letters eons ago. "It was this afternoon!" Twilight had difficulties to breathe, behind her a fearful pegasus and a fearless mare. To her dismay Sweetie Belle didn't even seem to care, repeating that they had had no more ideas for letters, no more fun and that they had got no cutie mark out of it.

"But but Princess Luna is coming! What am I going to tell her?!"

"You'll find out" Rarity cut. "Now if you'll excuse us, Sweetie Belle needs her sleep."

She closed the door leaving Twilight in complete rout. Turning to the two mares with her she clearly saw Fluttershy looking down, because Rarity was right. If Sweetie Belle didn't want to write letters anymore, not even a Princess could force her, even less keep a filly awake in the middle of the night. After all, Twilight herself had made sure to return Spike to bed.

She then looked at the dull, inexpressive eyes of Victory and found no question, no answer, nothing. Not even a smile of encouragement. "What should we do" she muttered, knowing full well the answer had to come from her.

The second after she had finalized her plan. "Fluttershy!" She ordered and her friend hopped at this call. She would have to go and see Applebloom, find Scootaloo if she could and see if it was the same. It would probably be the same but they had to make sure. Once the creamy pegasus had departed she turned to the blazing mare and, sighing, announced that they would try and intercept the Princess before she met the fillies, and reason with her. After all she was a Princess, Luna would understand.

"Fine" Victory answered, and Twilight couldn't know it was on of the new words she had learned at school. She then began to pace away, then stop as the young scholar wasn't following her. She knew where Luna was headed, and that was the tree house of the Crusaders, the place where she first found them. "Of course!" The studious mare confirmed and they trotted towards Sweet Apple Acres.

Luna was already there, facing the tree house in the middle of orchards. The tree house was engulfed in darkness, silent, an empty place. As they approached two night guards appeared and barred their way but the young Princess, seeing them, made a sign for them to pass.

"Princess Luna…" Twilight began.

"Good night to you Twilight Sparkle" The Princess answered, her voice somewhat friendly and quiet. Hiding something. "Have you seen Applebloom, Scootaloo or Sweetie Belle? They should have been in this tree house."

"About that, Princess…" And Twilight didn't know where to begin. But to her surprise, as her silent lasted, four seconds and a half the tale promises, Luna seemed to understand as if she had talked. So she pressed: "They liked writing letters to you, really, but…"

"They got tired of it." Luna concluded, her voice seemingly unaffected, seemingly. "Can I see them?"

"Non" Victory abruptly answered, but Twilight after a glare added: "They are asleep."

"Asleep…" And at that point Luna's voice shattered.


	14. They discuss

Sweet Apple Acres was but a shadow afar, hidden by the closer tents and the capital of the Carousel Boutique. She had strayed towards the forest, up to a lone bridge where she stopped to bend and watch reflected on the water her most beautiful night. She thought she was alone.

"I nithe yow." Victory said on one side of the bridge.

Luna looked at the mare, a quick glare in which her feelings were betrayed. "Envy me?" Her cold voice trembled. "You must think pretty low of yourself to say such a thing."

"Wis, oure Hehnesse. Hehnesse…"

"Luna" The Princess cut.

"Whar is Equestrie?" Victory's eyes were dull, two vast glassy iris without expression. "I fele anerly. Walshe in myn londes. I fele forrad."

She heard the dark Princess long and say: "This is a beautiful night, don't you think? A truly, truly beautiful night."

She invited the mare to join her in the middle of the bridge, just a motion of her hoof and her crystal horseshoe shined in the night. The mare's mane was trailing, truly, like a star, as she obeyed. They stood silent, together, hearing the night, feeling the cold air and the humidity.

"Oure Hehnesse…" Victory broke the silence, and as she wasn't corrected: "… hou is the Mone? Is it sli- is the Moon smooth?"

Luna sighed again, plunged in memories: "Like a mirror."

"I wiste it!" The blazing mare triumphed.

The sky was so bright, so many stars were shining that they could almost see colors through the night. They could see each other's expression, the details of their snouts, of their eyes. The tears Luna couldn't hold.

"It was dark, on the Moon. Dark and cold. The Sun wouldn't reach where I was. I erred, with nowhere to go, I kept erring, I can't remember why, I wouldn't stop. I had to… I had to…"

"Leue, it is passed."

"No." Luna forced herself to say as she rubbed her eyes. "This you must hear. A few years before my liberation, I had fallen, I was lying on the Moon without any strength left. The Sun had left and before me, afar, was Equestria. Then, I saw a light. A tiny light, a mere spark in the darkness. This light appeared night after night, persistent. I realized that it came from Canterlot, from the castle. It was my sister Celestia."

"Thy suster…"

"It was like a call, more than any Sun, her presence at my side. I was erring again, towards that light, and when I became aware of time I realized there was less than a thousand days before I could reach it." Luna remembered, her voice somewhat angry. "Then, the very night of my return, the light failed to appear. I don't know why, maybe I was blinded, maybe my sister had already vanished but the whole night Equestria remained in darkness."

"Wy do yow telle me of this?" Victory asked, genuinely curious.

"This is why. I had forgotten about that light when it appeared to me again. I had erred in my cold and dark nights when I saw it, not in Canterlot but in Ponyville. It was coming from that farm, from that tree house."

"Inpossible" The mare hissed. "Bot yef it war, wy telle me?"

The Princess looked away, a bit embarrassed. "I only answered your request. You asked me where Equestria was. At the beginning of a night, the first star you will see appear is yours. When you are lost, follow that star and you will find it."

"Yow are foalish."

"And you are threatening my sister to take her throne." The young Princess coldly stated. "I have told you one of my most intimate secrets. Now is your turn. How dare you pretend to the highest title of our land!"

"I gat that rigt!"

"You rebelled!"

Victory's voice went furious: "I did nat!"

"How can you so blatantly lie!" Luna threatened, wings wide open. "You went to war against Celestia! Canterlot burned because of you!"

"Neuere! I sarui myn queene! I wolde neuere"

"You did!" The Princess's hooves slammed on the bridge, making the blazing mare hop back in a ferocious stance. "This is your history! I found it in the royal archives! You rebelled and for this you were turned into stone!"

"Thou ligge! Yow swike!"

"Then prove it!" Luna defied, suddenly cold and distant. Royal. "Tell me."

In the silence that ensued they could hear the flow of water and that of foliages, the slow pace of time. They were alone, the Princess superb in her night against the savage mare. When it was clear that no answer would come, Luna turned and bent again on the edge of the bridge, to contemplate alone her work.

She thought Victory would depart, or finally talk but the mare simply joined her and, putting her hooves on the edge, slipped her snout in between. Then, she noticed it, there was a little spasm on Victory's throat, tiny motions that she couldn't control.

And herself, the young Princess couldn't hide it, she felt pretty sad too. To have believed in a fictitious light. She had been foalish, she had been so stupid. Now her nights would be dark again, cold and dark, and she would keep erring. She would keep hearing ponies laugh and play at day, away from her, out of reach. She was crying, silently crying and her tears streaming down her cheeks were dropping in the cold river.

"They ligge." Victory's voice was ripped. "Al poneys ligge."

"I forbid you to think like that."

"Non, oure Hehnesse. I halp ther fileys wryten their lettres. I wit there is on yow did nat underfon. On they wrot a neuere wayfet."

"What does it change" Luna noted, eyes closed in hurt. "It was just a child's play."

Victory closed her eyes too and began to recite: "Dear Princess Luna, we are very very sorry for wat we did. We were so happy to be youre pupils that we did nat understand how important it war. You are the best teacher ever! Bot Twilight, sche says a pupil is serious business. And sche is right. Our letters are unfit for a Princess. We are sorry, you…"

"You?" Luna couldn't help but ask.

"You trust us… trusted us." The mare tried to remember. "And we give… gived…"

"Gave?" Luna insisted, in a weak voice.

"And we gave you false hopes. Please do nat be mad, or sad. We will always be youre pupils. Scootaloo. Applebloom."

"And Sweetie Belle" The Princess concluded before hiding her face under her hooves, sobbing. If only that letter had reached her! Why didn't they send it, she could only guess, maybe Spike was already asleep, maybe they forgot. She didn't feel better, but she wasn't feeling worse. The young Princess could now cry for good reasons.

Victory was smiling. Her smile was quiet, a victorious one. "Oure Hehnesse…" She stopped, hesitating, but her smile wasn't fading. "Thou tolde me to folwen myn leme. Wel I haue on. It is the Sonne. Oure Hehnesse thou yiesce a roune. Do yow wit wy the Mone is glasen?"

Lowering her hooves Luna nodded: "To reflect the Sun's light, even at night, so as to never abandon her subjects, and promise them another day." And she added, her voice broken: "How jealous I was of that!"

"Wel graunt, nou myn roune is feld." Victory complained.

She was serious, disappointed when she heard the dark Princess chuckle and, through her tears, have her face break into a frail smile. It was funny to her, it was taking her away from her pain. At the exact moment she couldn't know how much pain she was inflicting.

"Thank you" Luna said, rubbing her cheeks. "For the letter, and for this."

But Victory's smile had vanished, replaced by her inexpressive eyes. Before they could add anything they heard Twilight calling: "Victory!" a few times as the young student approached. She was searching for her and the mare was about to take her leave.

"Please" The alicorn asked, about to fly away too. "Tell my students… tell them I am grateful, and that I will always be their mentor."

And she flapped her wings, making the water surface break in waves. She rushed into the night a silhouette among the many stars, to disappear. The blazing mare was left alone near the bridge, pacing towards the loud unicorn. Once they met Twilight relieved was about to scold her, because of all the fears she had had, but got troubled:

"Were you with the Princess all this time? I saw her in the sky just the instant."

"Leaue thyngs passed, Twilight Sparkle. Wit anly that the blak mere is apesen."

And the blazing mare walked passed the confused mare who quickly caught back: "Wait, anly? Blak? I don't have my dictionary…"

"Wol yow binimen me eche thyng?" Victory's tone was of deep anger. "I give youre Princess a letter and a laugh, liche yow an youre freends teached me." Then she strode in exasperation, eyes closed, eyes closed. Eyes closed.


	15. Only one Equestria

A marmot's head rose from the punch, looking around quickly emerged and the animal ran along the white napkin to join its colleague at the candy bowl busy removing every candy plastic with its paws. They weren't the only animals in the library, birds looming from empty shelf to empty shelf and squirrels hopping on the stair, many other merged with the crowd of festive ponies, mares and fillies alike. It was the grand reopening of the town's library, so despite Fluttershy's worries for her pets Twilight could only feel happy. She had looked for Spike in the crowd, found him with Rarity complimenting her new feather full and fearless dress.

They were quickly joined by Rainbow Dash, the mare with a smirk on her face, a cheese hat on her head and a snake on her neck that made the white unicorn freak out: "Hey Twilight!" She blasted, "when are you going to move the books back?" She was pressed to help, also pressed to dance on the joyous music. Twilight closed her eyes, lowered a bit and focused as her horn glowed heavily, in a sudden flash and a rush from the pets all the book reappeared in their shelves. "There!" She happily said to her friend mouth agape, the young student had waited for days to perform this new spell.

She then noticed the trail, like that of a shooting star, burning among the so many manes of her guests. Victory was there following Pinkie Pie to the rear door of the library, a story about a giant hollow cake Rainbow quickly explained, and there party professional friend needed a pony in it so she had chosen Victory. It was Victory but barely the same mare, her hair now brushed and smoothed, her bristle straightened, the eyelashes made neat again, she was "almost a mare again" concluded a dramatic Rarity at her work.

"Ya sure did miracles!" Applejack told her talented friend, joining them then fretting a bit at the hissing snake's sight. "Would ya believe if I told ya…" And she told them what had happened on the morning, how Victory had replaced her brother Big Macintosh at the plough. She was tilling the field for two hours when Applejack had surprised her. "She ain't no slacker" and her voice was adding, despite a remnant chill, that the farm pony had learnt to trust this new mare. "Pssha!" Dash rolled her eyes. For her it was just a mare, no hype, gullible at best.

"And she didn't even know who the Wonderbolts are!" The cyan pegasus added. "Where was she all this time?!"

"Learning how to read, maybe" The answer cut their discussion. They all turned to look at Spike who didn't expect the strong reaction. "What?" And he made his case. He had taken the letter addressed to Victory and put it on her bed. The following morning the letter was left untouched, and as proof Spike showed them the envelope still sealed. "By the way Twi'" the baby dragon ostensibly whispered to her "now would be the good time to give it to her."

"Speaking of that" Rarity noticed, "where is Victory?"

"And where is Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow Dash followed.

"Twilight is soooooo happy to have a home again! Every pony I know wants a home for herself, don't you want your own place to call home, eh you could come and sleep at Sugarcube Corner! We still have this empty room I use for my extra special party planning when special party planning isn't enough!"

Pinkie wouldn't stop talking despite her harness, her bouncing lock guiding her in a late evening where the sky was already full of stars ponies could see her pull the cake on her cart along the empty street. The library was left behind. "So" Victory's voice slashed from inside the cake, "this cake war just an excuse to foalnap me again…" To which a joyful Pinkie joyfully answered "of course!" and stopped pulling to do so. The blazing mare's head broke through the top of the cake and she looked down, with her inexpressive eyes, at this mystery of a young earth pony.

"Yow coulde haue asked me."

"That was definitely arithmetically not an option!" The pink mare pinpointed. "You enjoy being captured too much for me not to do it!"

Victory sighed. "Wat do yow want, wicche?"

"I like that, 'wicche'!" Pinkie giggled. "It's such a funny name!" Then immediately: "This last letter you remembered for Luna, it was a lie, right?"

There had been a sudden silence around Twilight as the young unicorn tried to grasp what Sweetie Belle just told her. The Crusaders had joined them mostly because of Scootaloo, and now Sweetie Belle was repeating hoof down "why does everypony believe that we did?" It was as she had said, they just gave up on it, seeing no problem. The other mares were looking at each other, Rarity and Applejack especially.

"But…" Twilight Sparkle painfully formulated, "why would Victory lie?"

"Fluttershy ligged to her friends. Yow ligged to me about that cake."

Pinkie Pie laughed at the thought and immediately, in a bright smile: "You did that for Twilight?" And she handed a victory hoof when Victory looked away, in admittance. She had tried to learn, to do exactly what others pony would do. In the middle of the street they were both ridiculous, Pinkie with her harness and Victory in her cake. Evening had passed as suddenly, the mare's face was losing its colors in favor of the night. She wouldn't look at the giant three, nor at the castle afar. Pinkie was just eating the cake, "eh it's hollow!" She complained, mouth full of cream and chocolate.

"Eh Victory!" She got the mare's intention. "Did you sleep in the Everfree Forest on your first days here? Could we go see where it was?"

It was a strange request, and the pink mare seemed joyfully serious asking it. The blazing mare simply walked through the cake to get out of it, shook once outside and began striding towards the forest, quickly followed "Eh wait!" by the hops of her foalnapper, mouth still full of cake.

Past the last houses a path of dirt led to the edge of woods, surrounded by plants and flowers in the plain night. It was a serene night, yet the sky seemed a bit sadder than yesterday. As they wandered among the trees both mares wondered, looking at those stars, if it could really reflect Luna's feelings. The Moon was fading to darkness, so they thought, it was reading too much. Now the town was way behind, its last lights disappearing through foliages. The path under their hooves had become hard to follow, hard to see or even feel in the strange atmosphere that Everfree was.

That's when she noticed it, Pinkie observed as she barely gained on the blazing mare, how she was smiling, calmly but confidently smiling. This was the smile, the smile Pinkie Pie had striven to see, coming so naturally under the overwhelming canopy of darkness. She blinked and thought, it was an entirely different mare that was striding in front of her, a happy one maybe. Then Victory turned her head, saw Pinkie's own smile and the blazing mare turned grim again. "Why" kept wondering the young mare. Why.

"She is what?!" And at Twilight's disbelief Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were holding their hoof on their face.

Applebloom repeated: "A knight!" as excited as she had been the first time she had discovered it, and just as stressed. Her grandmother had told her again, about those tales, reviving memories from her very early childhood when Victory the undefeated mare would haunt her dreams. In a last effort the filly turned to her sister: "Applejack! Ya've heard of those tales too! Ya tell them!"

"Well shoot, I knew that name was familiar" The farm mare admitted. "Victory the shooting star, but it just can't be!" She fretted, her freckles burning as she shook her head. "She would be older than ol' Granny Smith!"

"Is she telling us Victory is a mare from old tales?" Dash asked her snake.

"This is absurd…" Twilight Sparkle tempered herself as much as her friends. She was boiling inside: "It's probably just a coincidence, or she is a grand-grand-grand-grand-grand-daughter…" She paused. A thought had crossed her mind.

At the entrance were two statues cracked and covered of moss. It was no more a castle but ruins, stone piled slowly absorbed by the vegetation. The bridge was behind them, before they entered Victory plunged her inexpressive eyes in Pinkie's own. "Don't yow care for youre safety?" And Pinkie happily replied, "not at all! After all, you are here to protect me!" She got no reaction in return, not even that smile she had seen earlier. They entered and she recognized the open hall, the pillar where the elements had once stood. They paced a bit inside, the toe of their hooves ticking in the silence.

It was oppressive, dark on dark the whole ruin of the old castle felt like a warning by itself, a demise. But Victory didn't seem to notice. She strode towards an angle of a wall still up, a place where the obscurity was complete. There grass and leaves had been piled and partly flattened. It was where she had slept, Pinkie Pie was now certain of it.

She sounded a bit sad when saying: "You feel at home here, don't you?" She wished she could be more joyful, but somehow seeing the mare lay down on that precarious bed and slightly curl was stealing her smile.

"What's this?" She noticed.

Near the blazing mare was a rock, bigger than others around, one that had to have been carried here. It had been roughly sculpted in the head of a mare, too vague still to tell which one. Victory was looking at it, her head down on her cheek and her eyes were infinitely inexpressive. The pink mare, inspecting the rock, concluded it was just that, a rock, even though she perfectly knew which pony the earth pony had tried to sculpt. The tale gives the name, too early I think. She had to ask, if it wasn't her home, why the mare had chosen to sleep here. She asked, "why?" As if comforting a foal. She approached the mare and the mare looked away, eyes closed.

"I hid." She answered. "I am hiding from myn Queene."

And she said nothing else as her voice had died, if the tale doesn't lie on those few words her voice had been reduced to nothing as she was, herself, nothing but a simple mare, not even a mare, just nothing but a stone hearted mare among those ruins afar from Equestria.

* * *

**I rushed this third episode to get chapter 13 by Halloween. Kind of a tradition. Long story short, chapter 14 should have been the Halloween chapter but it could not be compressed. It was also meant to be a dialog almost devoid of narration but turned out differently, with the addition of this "one last letter" that made chapter 15 irrelevant, forcing me to replan.  
**

**I noted how bad I was with feelings when I tried to make Luna cry. The whole story must feel very cold and rational, on top of being really confusing. I also noted that the three pages format kept forcing me to cut a lot of stuff, like the mention from Applejack that Victory is limping, or this undelivered letter I hoped to mention more.  
**

**Now with season 3 about to air and lots of texts to read out there the next episode will have to wait a bit. Plus, with some luck, another Unexpected...  
**


	16. Fights drag on

Sometimes fear and despair have tainted my endless quest for Victory's tale. In the quietest town of the quietest realm another dawn showed itself slow and shy, its shadow looming on roofs of thatch wings wide cutting through the clouds, and I realized, at the first fright, that there would never be anything more than that, that there could be but only that, but only a coldhearted mare; for coming from the mountains was a creature in the sky black and wide and cold as her.

It was a dragon, yet ponies couldn't tell as his figure was high in the sky hidden by the vivid rays of light. The beast was circling the town, for how long only the tale could say, now with the day the inhabitants could feel for an instant the darkness pass on them like breeze does come autumn. But his circles were closing and so was the distance, as he approached from the town here on there screams could be heard of disbelief. Even then, even when it brushed past the pegasi at work it was just a silent threat, and among the flying ponies the rainbowed one simply wondered if they truly just saw a dragon passing by.

Then the beast smashed the ground at the edge of town, near the river, and the ground shook and water waved and spilled on the side. Its wings flapping just twice unfurled a brutal wave of wind. In front of so many inhabitants taken by surprise the creature seemed about to take off again but his two front legs tilled the soil and the dragon with all of its mass finally landed, tail last whipping over the roof, crushing one and the building in half.

A dozen pegasi had followed the beast, flying as fast as they could just to witness the house crushed and the growling titan. Behind them shot a colorful mare who called them back to reason:

"Okay!" Dash yelled to all. "We trained for this, so I'm counting on you! All of Ponyville is!" And they all saluted her as she spoke. "Time to enact plan p-one-fourteen-i-three!" The crowd of pegasi nodded then swiftly applied the sound plan that was panicking.

Panicked ponies were running in the streets, distressed, as they fled from their houses most were calling for help. They felt those eyes on them, two glassy yellow eyes of a predator fixed on the crowd in flight, among it a cart stalled full of apples, and the mane like straw covered by a Stetson hat, facing him in terror. Its tail whipped again, seized the mare and brought her near the beak of the beast. The mare could barely breath, eyes closed, put her legs in front of her face hiding her freckles.

"Stop it! Stop!" She yelled.

To her surprise the beast talked, his voice like smoke: "I… want… Victory…"

She opened her eyes, and still trembling: "Well I'm pretty darn sure ya won!"

"What?" The dragon's eyes widened. "No no! I didn't mean" but he coughed a few times, his beak covered by a paw exhaling black smoke between his fangs and the farmmare could witness the rough scales like rind of trees on his body, at its chin a short bushes of white beard. The tail had loosened, allowing her to move more freely. She listened when the dragon, his voice barely cleared, repeated:

"I am here for a mare named Victory."

As loud and deep that his voice was, as tall and dark in the morning the beast could be, most of Ponyville was still oblivious of any threat, living its daily life. Panic was spreading yet too slow for Rainbow Dash who sped through the hills towards the school. For pupils it was time to rest, after a couple hours they had spread in the grass and playful, the fiery pegasus found them piled up all giggling. "Hey, any of you saw Victory?" She asked and immediately a mare stood up, hustled the crowd that had her down in the process. She faced Dash, a colt still hanging at her ear with his teeth. Her eyes were two silent, two round and silent diamonds.

"Stop joking around!" The pegasus exclaimed. "We've a big problem in our hooves!"

"It's Pinkie Pie, am I right?" Victory stated.

"Uh, no? What about a gigantic powerful dragon right in front of Ponyville!"

"A dragon?!" Applebloom hopped between the two mares, excited, the little filly circled unable to hold her feelings. She turned to the blazing mare and asked her if she would defeat it, like in the stories, she could barely believe she would see it happen in front of her own eyes. The mare had long stopped paying attention, her two eyes fixed again on Rainbow Dash, and inexpressive. "Lead the way" she simply said, and it's barely as if her voice would have been too quiet. Behind them a few scholars followed, the yellow filly at their head jumping and running in anticipation.

Such was the carelessness of most of the town from streets busy at their market to streets empty and deserted, the group of young ponies worried as they approached and saw the silhouette behind roofs, those large wings, the neck and its fins sharp. Only Victory was walking without fear, and Dash with her, so they felt safe. Suddenly the row of houses would lead directly to the beast, the dragon appeared with its beak fuming like a nightmare of foalhood. They watched as the two mares kept walking towards it, they stood behind, this time just Applebloom would follow and her two friends, staying hidden, called her back without success, such was her trust.

In front of the beast were a few mares, among them the Queen's pupil. She was speaking to the dragon and the dragon was answering her, a black beast in front of the purple pony:

"… what if we refuse?" Twilight Sparkle was asking as they approached.

"Why! I would simply stay here and blow smoke on your town, of course. I've waited centuries for this, what's a month or two?"

"Wait" Twilight wavered. "How long did you say?"

She got no answer. Applebloom had run ahead and past her sister Applejack, so close to the dragon that all feared for her but the filly, her red mane brushed by the beast's breath, and she was defying it. Victory couldn't hear what was told, could only guess, couldn't care. Her look had met the look of the dragon, both of them suddenly alone, hearing nothing but each other's heart. A long, strident whistle. She recalled the mountains, the swarm of dragons circling over her and her, the mare tainted… she saw herself in those two glassy yellow eyes.

The big sister had intervened to try and calm the filly down, now they were all turned to her. Without a word, but those memories, but its presence, she knew what the answer would be, yet asked, "what do you want" to the beast, and the beast answered: "You haven't aged." The memory of a tainted mare among the migration. "You happened to know my son. And kill him." Victory couldn't tell if the dragon was speaking, or if she could simply tell it through his used eyes, those of another time, another age.

"I wol nat fyghte yow."

As suddenly as those words were pronounced the mare turned her back to the dragon, to the group of mares, and walked away. She was dull on the dull earth of Ponyville, head straight, defied the beast by ignoring it. Left behind was Twilight almost relieved, as were Applejack and Rarity. "What a coward…" Dash muttered and the dragon behind her: "Indeed! I woke up from deep slumber for this?" But there was no mistake on the mare and no mistake on his intentions, as he made it clear for the purple unicorn. He would get his fight or Ponyville would get no light, and he would slowly turn it to ashes.

For all the talk that was going on most had already forgotten about the little filly. Little Applebloom was watching the mare walk away, suddenly ran after her. Her whole body was shaking. She caught on and behind Victory, called her name without result.

"Ya said ya're a knight!" Applebloom asked, her voice trembling. "Why won't ya fight this dragon?"

"Why wolde I fight him." She coldly answered.

"But in your stories…"

Victory turned around brutally, put her hoof on the filly's chest who could feel how sharp it was. "I am nat a story, I'm a mare! I have blood and yow want it spilled for your pleasure! Yow know nothing of me, yow know nothing of myn past!" She was boiling, her voice burning the filly's heart, bringing tears and yet what was most threatening were those two eyes so empty. Victory turned back to her pacing, leaving the young bloom behind.

No, screamed a thought in Applebloom's mind. He heart had sunk, she had sit and frozen, fighting everything that was coming at once the filly saw in her blurred sight the blazing mare trail away. And she thought no, she refused to believe it. She jumped and ran, ran in front of the mare to block her. The little young one was breaking, her mane undone despite the tie, her bristle bristled. And her voice was broken too.

"Ya're lying!" She yelled, and tears escaped her lids. "Victory is brave and she protects ponies and she never flees from a fight! She's nothing like ya!" She wanted an answer, any answer, even yells in return. Anything. "Ya crossed Equestria, past mountains into the heart of a dragon migration, to find a dragon and defeat him! Didn't ya!"

The mare tried to get past her, ignoring her but the filly jumped back in front, and her open eyes full of cries confronted the silent ones of Victory. "Ya were that mare! Ya're Victory now are ya!?"

"Yow are foalish." The mare answered, pushed her aside and kept walking.

There were words, exact words the filly wanted to say, to yell but she couldn't anymore. Foalish, as if every memory of those tales had shattered, as her two friends were running to her she tried to erase those tears, just couldn't, she felt betrayed and humiliated. To have believed in, what, she couldn't tell it anymore. Those exact words were "you're right, I don't know you" and their meaning lost in her sadness, she calmed and mourned on Sweetie Belle's elbow, with Scootaloo patting her on the back, and afar erring in the streets a mare lost in her own mix of thoughts and feelings.


	17. Who she isn't

Once touched by the flame the scroll turned into a thin breeze and flew away, leaving the young unicorn relieved. Now that it was done she wouldn't give it much thought anymore, already her focus had shifted and she was looking through the shelves, moving covers of many colours as behind her the baby dragon was asking why it had been necessary to alert the Princess. "Just tell Victory to fight him." He shrugged, the feather on his fin. Twilight rejected the idea, her snout in books, of course she couldn't do that. "Of course" Her assistant sighed.

She found the book among spider webs, a cover the colour of her coat because lavender was mysterious or the shade of secrets. The dragon peeked at the title as she had put the volume on the table, "a history book" Twilight confirmed, an encyclopedia Spike thought. But she couldn't even open it: a pony was knocking on the door so Spike ran to open and meet the two diamond eyes of the blazing mare.

Victory was wearing on her side a pink sack filled with muffins, sweets and holding from Sugarcube Corner. In her mouth saddlebags, she had entered her tail trailing the outside light like thunder, put the bags on the table, on the book:

"Pack your belongings, Twilight Sparkle" her voice sounded frustrated. "We're leaving."

After rubbing her eyes the unicorn repeated, leaving? Her own student confirmed, they were, since the dragon was there for her if she left it would leave Ponyville alone. As she helped putting books in the bags as soon as she could the young unicorn asked where, and her dark mane fretted at the answer. "The Ghastly Gorge" the mare simply answered. There the village would help them and Celestia's student would finish teaching her friendship. She was continuing, but Twilight had stopped at the word of village, that the Gorge could keep the dragon away.

"What village?" The young mare asked, troubled. It was as if the light brown of wood under her hooves was evaporating. "Victory, there is no village at the Ghastly Gorge."

"Of course there is!" The fierce mare answered, adding a cushion in the bags. "I know, I haue family there."

But Twilight was shaking her head slowly, unwillingly. "There is nopony there. Only rocks and brambles."

"Don't iape me!" The mare's voice slashed, but all the purple student could see was those two eyes in which her own eyes would sink. Then she felt Victory's toe put on her chest, like a threat, she got angry. They wouldn't leave, they wouldn't go anywhere she firmly stated, they would stay here in Ponyville and wait. She had alerted the Princess, the dragon would be dealt with, "trust me for once…" and she repeated, all Victory had to do was nothing, just to wait until things were solved.

The blazing mare was about to answer, the same tone on her tongue when she burst in exasperation and, taking the bags back with the books falling she turned to the door and trotted, but paced outside. Ears down, teeth pressed on the leather she kept looking over her shoulder, until the door was closed, even after that, until she felt a wall of ponies barring her way under the foliage of the library's tree.

"There you are!" Pinkie Pie rose and stretched her legs, almost at the height of Rainbow Dash's tail. On each side of the pink earth pony the farmmare couldn't help but tap her hat at her sight and smile, and Rarity hovered the bags away from the mare's mouth. All four approached, circled around Victory who backed a bit, almost sit with her look hopping from one to the other.

"You may not be the most sophisticated mare, and truly a hooficure wouldn't be luxury if you ask me, and those hair-"

"What my friend here means" Applejack cut her "is we ain't gonna' let this dragon harm you."

And they all nodded and confirmed, Pinkie first embracing the blazing mare who, her neck a bit chocked, barely could express her incomprehension. They were repeating, they wouldn't let their new friend down, they would make sure she wouldn't have to fight "good grace no!" Rarity added and of all of them Pinkie Pie was the most quiet. At the shadows under her eyes the blazing mare reacted, escaped the group: "wat do yow all think yow are doing?" She told them. Helping a friend, obviously, but Dash gave up on adding anything and simply landed to join the others and their puzzlement. "We can't possibly let you fight this dragon!" The pure hearted unicorn added with emphasis, and the cowmare to follow:

"Ya won't fight him, right? I don't care the reason, nopony can win this and ya're wounded ya know that!"

"She is?" Rarity said, surprised.

"What? Ya hadn't noticed? She-" Victory's toe stroke the ground, making all of them shut. She was exhaling anger, yet her eyes would express nothing, just fix each of them at turns. Her voice was shattering at each intonation, to tell them to add nothing, and to the rainbow pegasus to go to the Ghastly Gorge at once, make sure the village was safe. "What village?" But the mare yelled "just go!" And Rainbow Dash felt like leaving, angry herself. Then Victory turned to Applejack:

"Yow telle nopony. Nopony."

She was about to add a threat to the threat of her forefront against the mare's hat and the earth mare was about to respond on the same tone when the library's door opened. Twilight was surprised to find them all, barely noticed the tense atmosphere and Pinkie's tiredness. She had received Celestia's answer concerning the dragon, and her face faded to doubt and worry. The Princess was certain she and Victory would be able to solve things by themselves and ensure that everything would end well.

It didn't.

"Dear Princess Celestia, Ponyville is desperate. I am desperate." Her magic on the pen wavered. Outside was pitch black. "The streets are empty. Ponies are shadows of themselves. Smiles have faded. All are fleeing or cloistered. The smoke…" She watched the scroll, the ink pouring slightly. "The smoke is…"

Twilight abruptly crumpled the parchment then threw it away. It bumped on the floor of the desert library, in the darkness. She let herself fall on the desk, eyes almost close, without breath. She couldn't even scream, since Spike was sleeping upstairs. How could he sleep she thought, with this snore! Outside the dragon's growls were echoing loudly among the houses, making this first night unbearable. She slipped on the floor hoping to count sand grains so that sleep would finally take her.

Hooves outside alerted her, the unicorn raced to the near window to open it. There was the pony, she couldn't see it but at the bouncing lock and through a moonbeam the pink coat she knew who it was. "Where is she running?" She said as a way to fill the night. She left the window, went to the door and make it round the great tree to try and catch with her friend but only to see her disappear at the end of the place. "Pinkie, wait!" She said, not too loudly so as to not wake up Spike. Too late, she found herself alone again with the snore and her need for rest.

She turned away and paced among the roots of the tree just to jump behind one of them when the smooth mane of Fluttershy landed in front of her. "Sorry" the shy pegasus said and Twilight, getting up again, admitted she was rather happy to see a familiar face.

"But what are you doing outside in the middle of the night?"

"I was going to see the dragon" Fluttershy answered, leaving her studious friend blinking. When the need to explain became apparent she added: "I uhm… the animals can't sleep, so…" And she held out between her hooves a grumpy white bunny.

The snoring got them to move, with the young pegasus admitting she felt way better now that she was accompanied. They talked a bit, then as they approached their voices turned mute. The dragon was a black mass among the black of night, his sharp fins gleaming under the stars. Once the two ponies were near his two eyes opened, the two glassy eyes, and he met them with his heavy smoke. The beast was silent so Fluttershy approached and called upon him to make her case. She gulped, but was already half through when he cut her. Many ponies had already asked him to stop.

"I will keep snoring and puffing until my harm is answered." To which Fluttershy worried that he was wounded, making him cough. "I was rather speaking of a grievance." And the creamy pegasus to apologize. "You? No, you didn't do… what is your name, little pony?"

"Fluttershy."

The dragon touched her forefront with a claw, making her shake like an autumn leaf. "You've won, little one. I wasn't sleeping anyway."

With that he promised not to snore or growl anymore, making the shy mare thank him loudly. A window opened and they heard a stallion yell at them to shut up. Fluttershy turned and answered in a very faint voice: "I will!" Then thanked the dragon again before trotting away, happily. The dragon followed her, his two yellow eyes like lamps in the nights, over roofs. Then he turned to the young unicorn to ask if she also wanted something.

"No, not really." But she remembered Pinkie Pie. "Have you seen a pink mare-" He confirmed, he had seen her run into the Everfree Forest, and immediately reassured the pony. With his presence all beasts had fled for miles, making the forest safer than ever. He then added, with a grain of temper, that Victory was also somewhere deep in the woods. He could smell it. Twilight wasn't sure of what to do, go after them maybe but a yawn cut through her will. Seeing the dragon so quiet she thought they were fine.

"Actually…"

"Yes?" The dragon asked, lowering his head so that his beak was almost touching the young mare. She hesitated, then asked, about the crime. She wanted to know, "no", Twilight gave up on her question and replaced it with another, one she was more comfortable with. He had to know a pony couldn't win against a dragon. What he asked for wasn't a fight, it was worse. The dragon seemed to smile, if that was a smile, an amused one. "You are right." He had seen Victory fight, fight his son and kill him. It hadn't been a fight but a slaughter. The whole migration wouldn't dare fight her after that, not even him, out of terror. So she was right, but he would still fight her, in his son's memory.

"Keep that well in mind, little pony. I am the victim."


	18. Just a rumor

Bell was ringing like an alarm announcing the beginning of class. They were out of the woods walking with dawn at their side and still in the wet grass, the heavy hooves of Victory battling under the weight of the other two. Her coat burned in the early morning like a brazier extending from the last bushes. She watched away the group of fillies and colts pressed at the gates of school, at the entrance, and their laughs. Scootaloo hit her head telling her to make haste and buzzed her wings but the mare simply groaned and at her pace, approached the little building. On her back was a sleepy pinky pony waving her forelegs in the air, in a dream.

The bell rang a second time as the last of them entered, at that sound Pinkie Pie finally awoke, stretched and rolled down on the ground to curl and wish them a good day. Both watched her before the voice of Cherrilee reached them, this time the mare trotted but trotted, but with a pause, once at the door let the filly pegasus get down from her neck and join her friends.

Among them Applebloom wouldn't look at her.

No, it was more, and Scootaloo herself felt it, as she was away, the whole class was murmuring a rumor. As they sit and the flowery teacher was beginning her lesson the whole mare dismissed that noise, concentrated on the glyphs on the chalkboard. Then she heard Scootaloo gasp and her eyes, instinctively, had glanced there where the fillies were exchanging whispers. "What is it?" Cherrilee asked with an annoyed look. But the class remained silent. She repeated her question and all pupils were looking at each other, then at Applebloom so the teacher approached the filly and her red ribbon.

"Applebloom?" Cherrilee pressed with a touch of good humor. "What's happening?"

"… and then ol' Granny was yelling and screaming like there were snakes on her rockin' chair! Calling Victory names and all!" Applejack continued. "So I was like my sister, asking what was the fuss! Ya know what she said?"

The young student at her door made a quick 'no' with her head, still trying to grasp what her hasty friend could possibly try to tell her. It was early, she was tired after reading so much and all she had understood thus far was Applebloom was disappointed in this knight of her, from old tales, who couldn't possibly be Victory.

"Well she said Victory betrayed the Princess! That she waged war against Celestia!"

"Applejack, I just read three versions of that tale." Twilight blinked and yawned, then added technical details but still "what you're talking about appears nowhere."

"Ya trust your books, Twilight!" The cowmare balked. "But Granny Smith knows her stories like no one!"

And she added, when the traitorous knight and the Princess fought, about to be defeated Celestia used the elements of Harmony to turn her aggressor into stone. So it only made sense, she was a statue all this time and now she was free, Applejack was convinced of it but doubted when her friend simply smiled. "You forget one thing" the purple student said, and that was that the very premise, of Victory being the same from the tale, had no ground. They were probably just heirs or something, Twilight proposed, and with that the unicorn noted that she still had to prepare her friendship lesson for the day.

Still, as confident as she was, Twilight Sparkle was asking herself why the heroic mare of those tales had betrayed her Princess… why Victory would ever…

Trumpets interrupted them, coming from the edge of the village and towards its center, like many other ponies they rushed there quickly met a thrilled Rainbow Dash who plunged at their side, grinning: "Ya know what's going on?" And the pegasus: "Of course!" She never went to those stupid gorges, instead she first tried to fight the dragon herself, but omitted to mention that part, then had flown directly to Canterlot to get royal help. And there they were, two lines of guards in golden armors opening their way among the crowd before the town hall, the proud protectors of Equestria.

"But the Princess said…" Twilight began, puzzled.

"I… didn't get help from them" she suggested as her memory flashed for her the awkward meeting she had with Celestia in the gardens, then what Luna had told her. Point was, it wasn't the Princesses. "Then who?" Applejack couldn't help but ask.

And they saw it, the whole crowd gasping at its sight, the dazzling white armor of a knight, beautiful, with feathers on the helmet, gilding and a blinding wide adventurous red cape. There he was on his cart pulled by eight ponies, and he was silent, a real figure for the town colts. They didn't recognize him at first, such was the shock. The cart stopped before the hall where mayor Mayor was to greet them. The knight got down and it became apparent, how heavy and cumbersome the armor was. His white horn under the helmet's visor let golden hair stray around, undone.

"Ya asked Blueblood for help?!"

Her voice had blasted over rumors, so that the prince heard it and turned around to watch in that direction. Ponies were attracted by the clamor, by his name, by the mere presence of the royal guard. The whole class had left school, lead by their teacher, and among them trailing the group, the blazing mare. At that moment the captain leading his guard approached the prince and muttered something at his ear. He dismissed him then approached where Applejack was, barely noticed her and saluted Twilight Sparkle.

"Ah, my aunt's most trusted and loyal subject!" – "Student." – "Twilight Sparkle, am I right? I must say, this hamlet doesn't fit your talent, but! I won't deny the simple life of peasants in dirt and dust has its charms."

He stopped, silenced by a curled sleeping pink mare between his forelegs, her bouncy mane rubbing the plate of his armor. Rarity was still making her way to the group, pushing ponies aside as Fluttershy had approached but carefully. And while the class had also succeeded to approach the prince, Victory had stood behind, at the end of the crowd, watching it from afar with her inexpressive eyes.

"As I was saying" The Prince cleared his voice: "Fear not, Ponyville! Because I, your Prince Blueblood, have come to slay the evil dragon that is threatening your homes!" And the crowd stomped on the ground, greeting this news. "Captain! Bring me my lance!" The captain obliged and two guards armed Blueblood's side with the heavy weapon, making him pant for a second. "Of course the fight is perilous! But no fight can truly scare a Prince! Normally ponies of our rank don't fret with pesky battles, and yet I'm willing to give of my person for this noble cause and my renown. With one hit of this spear the beast will be done for!"

The whole crowd was cheering for him loudly as he succeeded to raise the weapon somewhat high in the sky and make it shine. For a moment they forgot the smoke that was expanding over the town. For a moment Twilight forgot that Blueblood couldn't get to close his helmet, due to his horn. Applejack had noticed it to, they looked at each other and as the prince was still speaking they went to dismount the visor then remount it closed. His voice turned cavernous, and even more proud. He turned to the street leading to the dragon and mares and stallions followed, until the beast was in sight where most stopped and let him go alone.

"Now where is that dragon!" Blueblood yelled charging the beast, and he continued speaking as he advanced towards the creature and its two glassy yellow eyes. The whole town was watching. A moment later the dragon had spit flames and the saw the Prince gallop past them to go hide in a dark street.

As the crowd was slowly straying, Dash simply told the others: "Well he still showed more courage than Victory!"

In just a few minutes the place seemed empty, just scarce groups breaking and going away. The mares were still with Blueblood, leaving with him as guards were now spraying over the town, as a comforting presence. Rarity was left alone in this street before the dragon. Behind her, almost like a statue Victory was still watching, and sit, could see the precious mare but not the beast. The white gracious unicorn sighed and approached it.

"Pray excuse me sir…" She tried him.

"Ah! A true lady!" And the dragon offered her to approach with an ample sign of his arm which threatened to break through the nearest house. "Good gracious, dragons lack tact! I do hope you will honor me of your discussion dear!"

She was already blushing, unprepared for such a welcome and for a minute of two they simply talked, to the point she almost forgot why she had come to him. He had even told her his name. But the smoke finally got her to ask and she did it the nicest way possible, if he wouldn't simply go away. "You want me to give up everything", to let the murderer of his son go unpunished just like that. She smiled: "Yes?" He didn't frown but smiled, or grinned, and asked:

"Do you have a daughter?" – "A sister" she corrected. – "Well, good lady, if you allow me such words, they day your sister is slaughtered in front of your eyes, would you forgive her assassin?"

She barely was able to keep a smile of politeness, her heart suddenly struck at such a thought. It was painful to even consider. "Does it count this much to you?"

"I would give my hoard for this revenge."

"Hoard" Rarity repeated, suddenly feeling dizzy. Her eyes wide open were telling all, he noticed her expression and continued, mountains of gold, thousands of diamonds some bigger than her own eyes, and ornaments, crowns, jewelry of untold price. The mare's ears were whistling, she couldn't believe she was thinking about it. There were mounts high enough to cover all the streets of this town, he added, and she had to wipe a bit of saliva with her hoof. He would give it all to the pony who would force Victory to fight him, or better, he said casually, deliver her to him.

It seemed to wake up the white mare who turned, look where Victory was standing so far away. She couldn't see but the place was empty, no pony to see her. Still, it was as if eyes were on her, judging her for her thoughts. A whole hoard, she muttered, "I… you…" and she went away without one more word, trembling. She was repeating to herself, she wouldn't do it, she would never do it, and it was scaring her, the very thought.

"What were you talking about?" Pinkie asked jumping on the dragon's beak. The dragon said, nothing: "Oh, good! Mind if I rest here? I'm super sleepy!" And the pink mare fell on the beak and fell asleep.


	19. So that's your answer

What had awoken her were the very weak cries of the babies Cake, a rumor through the walls of Sugarcube Corner. They were asleep, they were having a nightmare. She blinked, felt the wood floor around her with a toe then got up and shook, went out in the empty corridor. Her toes were striking but feebly, cutting through the dark. There was the pink mare's room, the door was unlocked: she simply opened it and entered.

Inside was pitch black too as the smoke outside was hiding most of the stars, few night beams shined on the empty bed. The pink mare was sleeping with her bouncy lock emerging from the bathtub, why she was in her bathtub wondered the tale, it was a mystery. But she was and she was dreaming, frowning and sweating and her hooves were striding free. Over her were two inexpressive eyes, Victory silent stretched her leg, saw the agitation strengthen. She pulled back, watched the mare calm in her tub ten she extended her leg again and this time touched Pinkie, making her wake up in shock.

"Yow were sleepless" stated the blazing mare as Pinkie pie watched her eyes wide open, those two eyes like diamond on a coat like live coal burning in contrast with the obscurity. The babies were sleepless too, and Victory stood silent for a few seconds, to let those weak cries be heard. She had nothing to add. It was the third time now. Her silence meant for the festive mare still recovering in her tub to let her leave.

"It's fine…" Pinkie answered with a faint and tired smile, "no it's nat" replied the mare looking under her legs where Pinkie was slipping, she got up and lifted Victory up on her back, carrying her back to her room.

It would all be fine, repeated the brave young mare as they reached the corridor. She would comfort the babies, they would sleep and Victory would sleep here too. No friend of her would have to pass her night in ruins "and nothing you say will change that!" She muttered while wavering under the mare's weight. For some more steps the blazing mare answered nothing, in her thoughts, then:

"Wicche?" – "Yes?" Answered Pinkie, and Victory continued: "I did murder his son."

Her head was filled with memories of the migration, the roaming dragons, the fear. It was mountains, it was infinite pits with geysers of lava, flames and a chocking air. She knew it was a mix of all her readings, a nightmare where she kept hearing a pony laugh maniacally. One dragon was lying on the ground, among many rocks and she approached, and she realized that in this dream she was playing the role of the maniac mare. Twilight woke up, memories of it fading, she stretched and looked around her to see the familiar setting of her room.

Fallen from her bed was a letter, one she recognized. Spike had probably put it there as a reminder to give it to Victory. She yawned, rubbed her cheek on the cushion as the room was gray and dark, outside the sky barely showing any light.

A sudden slam on the window forced her to jump out of her cover, from the other side of the glass Spike waved his paw at her, still bumping at the end of his rope. "Spike?" Twilight wondered and quickly went to open the window for her baby dragon. "What are you doing?"

"This!" He said, showing her a leaf.

She quickly noticed it, on the leaf slight black crusts hardly noticeable. It was ash from the dragon's smoke, and it was slowly covering Ponyville. The young dragon tidying his purple scales added he had already swept the entrance and the roots of the tree, but the foliage was decaying. "Like I had not enough work as it is…" he crossed his arms and the young student looked away, embarrassed. But it was just a bit of ash, it could be handled.

"It's not just that!" Blasted a fiery pegasus who rushed to them pulling Spike through the window and her friend back a few steps. "With this smoke the weather team can't work! Two of them are at the hospital because they can't stop coughing, and there is a waiting line back there!" And she added something that left Twilight doubting: "And Rarity hasn't left her Boutique since yesterday!"

"It can't be that bad…" The purple unicorn tried to object.

"She is kind of right" Spike told Dash. "Wait until this ash catches fire. You know, dragon stuff."

Now Twilight had a bit of difficulty to breath, not because of ash but because of the situation. It did sound dire, yet she asked what they could possibly do about it. For the fiery many-colored mare it was obvious: "Let's kick this dragon out of town!" Spike crossed his arms, waited for her preferred student to ask him so that he could repeat, to just send Victory. And he listed his reasons but she wasn't listening anymore. She would give the mare a friendship lesson in a few hours, she had the whole morning to find alternatives.

"Uh, Twily-ight…" they had spoken both at the same time, looked at each other and Spike invited Dash to continue: "It's actually past noon."

She twitched at the news, suddenly left them behind and ran outside the room, downstairs with her whole schedule derailing in her mind. Outside the strides of her hooves resonated, she slowly forgot her anxiety as the streets appeared to her. They were quiet, very quiet, shutters shut on the windows and the gardens left alone or covered, restaurants closed. She wandered some more almost forgetting her destination, so surprised by how few ponies there were under the gray light and the black smoke high sky. It was… when a royal guard passed, pacing on a martial strike she fully realized what her friends meant.

The city center was even quieter as it opened on its vast space, and as buildings left place before her eyes she saw the contrast between the town under this thick smoke and away the plains green and shining by the sunlight. She then noticed two mares discussing not far, and went to them. "Applejack! Fluttershy!" She was really, really glad to see them.

So were they, and they asked her a weird question, if she was also searching for candles. "Why would I?" The cowmare only wanted a couple but for Fluttershy, it was safety, "in case the smoke was to last" and she felt the need to apologize. It wasn't important anyway, there wasn't a single candle left in town 'Jack would swear, and their shy friend having had more luck couldn't get one as ponies would keep pushing her. "Ya know what? I think the whole town lost them mind!" They had overheard many discussions, and it was like every pony was conspiring, some fed up, some excited, all about one single subject. It wasn't for Victory to fight. It was slightly different, and slightly worse.

"And you two?" Twilight asked in a troubled voice. "What do you think should be done?"

Could the student realize what had changed, to say 'should be' instead of 'should we', she probably didn't grasp it. But already something had given way, and when she heard Applejack confirm, that Victory had to fight, and when she saw Fluttershy hesitate to nod, she felt no surprise. Shock, but no surprise.

She had been thinking it herself.

The park had lost its joyful colors for dimmer shades. Victory was standing there near the low fountain, she was waiting. Next to her Pinkie Pie was waiting too, in her own way. How long they had been there was hard to tell, and Victory's eyes wouldn't tell. She simply got up as the group approached, and it was as if the friendship lesson would begin. However, on both sides, they understood no lesson would take place today. Pinkie Pie reached first, the pink mare walking happily towards her friends and, after a quick greeting, taking Twilight apart:

"Twilight, I need you to listen to her, okay?" And Twilight, intrigued, nodded.

The blazing mare sighed, closed her eyes a second then opened them: "I ask yow once more, Twilight Sparkle. Let us leave. Yow and me."

She wouldn't say more, her mane like a trail of fire in the dull air, she wouldn't argue or fight. Those two diamond eyes were preventing Twilight from reaching any conclusion so she turned to Pinkie Pie and saw how tired her friend was. Then the student asked: "Where?" And was happy to see her joyful friend hadn't thought about it. Victory immediately answered: "The Everfree Forest" and it became clear her joyful friend wasn't prepared for this either. It was… the only place they could hide, the old mare stated, and it seemed like it hurt her to say those words.

Leaving? But a selfish thought stopped Twilight. She didn't want to leave her friends. And she felt it was wrong, it was the wrong thing to do. "No!" The young unicorn replied, stating how foolish it was but Pinkie interrupted her: "You know the alternative!" And her joyful friend wasn't so joyful anymore.

"Is that what yow want, Twilight Sparkle?" Victory asked, her voice cold. "Yow want me to fyghte?"

Her silence lasted, a few seconds, and she thought one of her friends would break it but they all remained silent. Almost ten seconds, past ten, Twilight felt their looks on her, waiting an answer. She was rushing all remaining possibilities, trying desperately to find an alternative, anything to avoid this fatal issue.

"Victory…" she finally raised her eyes onto the blazing mare. "How did you defeat the dragon back then?"

"Myn Queene blesced me." Victory answered.

All of the readings she had done flashed in Twilight's mind, nowhere a mention of any blessing. But she had read about old judgments, when unresolved between knights, in absence of the Princess the two would fight, and the one who would win could only have won because Princess Celestia would have protected her. At least that was the belief at the time and the young student looked for a confirmation from Victory, who simply stood silent. So if a pony was guilty, Celestia wouldn't protect her, and she would lose… "but…" the unicorn stumbled on her thoughts, something was amiss. Victory cut her abruptly:

"I am scared." She simply said. "I am scared of dede."

Those words were cold, her tone so quiet, she could feel it tremble, yelling inside, resonating with Twilight's own doubts. All she could think about at this instant was, she wouldn't leave her friends. She wouldn't leave her friends. She couldn't bring herself to leave her friends. And her eyes were telling all to those two inexpressive eyes.


	20. Captives

"Why don't you go to Canterlot?" Spike asked genuinely, and he couldn't tell if the silence that followed was in agreement or the rest of his friends discovering that he and Dash had joined them a good minute ago. Still, none was objecting so he developed, since it wasn't far they would still see each other, the lessons could continue and the dragon wouldn't go there since the Princess "No!" yelped Victory at that very name. And she begged, not Canterlot, the Everfree but not Canterlot, and her voice in the dull park was weakening. Pinkie Pie at her side suddenly realized and intervening, added it was not an option.

"Is she for serious?" Applejack blurt out, sick of it. "Ya ask to leave but when it's the safest place on Equestria ya refuse?! What in tarnation is your problem!"

Victory's hoof strike burst the ground, she was about to scream after the cowmare when Twilight came between them telling them to stop, both of them. There had to be an alternative, she said and Fluttershy from behind two branches nodded. "Then telle me!" Defied the blazing mare, her mane ardent, teeth clenched. Twilight was Celestia's student, her authority here, so she defied her to tell the will of her Queen. She knew the rule "don't yow", and pushing her the mare repeated them. Two entered the judgment, only one would leave, "is that wat yow yisce?!" She pushed her again turning around the purple mare as the group watched them dispute, tense. There was no escape but for a mandate, a wound, the Queen's voice or a replacement. And none of them she yelled to the entire group, none of them would accept to be the one fighting the dragon.

"I would…" Groaned Dash, remembering her attempt before she noticed Applejack suddenly stunned, repeating "a wound?" But they were set aside as Twilight was trying to defend herself, Victory angrily defied her:

"Telle me!" She furiously repeated: "Dar telle me to fyghte a I wol!"

Her breath was loud, her bristle savage she kept pacing around the young student who tried to calm her down, looking at her friends for an answer and for each of them she already knew the answer, and Rarity wasn't there, and neither was Applejack. The straw mane was absent leaving a hole near Dash and the purple dragon.

She had had it of the mare's attitude, her tone, her constant crying. The farmmare was galloping through the empty dark streets, her mind set, decided to save the town and Victory. "I will show her!" Was her thought and her anger was pushing her, or maybe her night awake, or this guilty feeling in her chest. She coughed, slowed down as her lungs felt like fire, she paced for a bit, panting. And met a panting white unicorn going in the exact opposite direction.

"Howdy Rarity! What's that cape on your back?" The honest mare asked, toe pointed to the simple black cape the gracious mare was wearing.

"Isn't she marvelous?" She replied with awe. "I made it with my bare hooves!"

"Uh, great!" And Applejack excused herself as she had to go save Ponyville, both mare returned to running through the empty dark streets.

The dragon was there, waiting. Without his glassy yellow eyes it would have seemed as if he was asleep. From his beak smoke was fuming, floating away and expanding over the town. Two guards were in the streets, noticed the mare but did nothing. She noticed, as she passed them, how their armors had lost their brightness, slightly covered by black crust. "Eh, ya!" She yelled at the beast. "Heya to you to" the beast answered. Now facing it the mare couldn't help but watch those heavy scales, the length of those claws, the sharpness of its beak. But she gathered her courage and continued.

"So ya believe in all this judgment stuff and all?" And she grinned when he confirmed. "Even the rule that says your opponent can opt out if wounded?" He admitted his memory was a bit blurry but yes, again, the dragon confirmed. "Well Victory is." The mare stated.

"Oh really?" The dragon didn't seem to formalize. "How convenient. And why should I believe you, again?"

"'Cause I saw it!" Applejack firmly responded, meeting the dragon eye on eye. "Her back leg is limping!"

For a slight moment the dragon was still smiling, confident, then the smile disappeared. His stern eyes focused on the mare who felt suddenly threatened but didn't back away, certain of what she was saying. Another mare with such a wound wouldn't even be able to pull a plough, and would be all day to bed. It had to be enough to refuse the fight. A sniff from the creature engulfed the street with smoke, making her cough, when it cleared the beak was almost touching her snout. The beast slightly retracted and she saw its claws till the soil, then grab it and break handfuls of dirt and grass in rage. It roared, the guards ran to flank the mare prepared to fight as the beast was flaring the sky with a lasting tongue of fire.

Then the beast fell down with all of its weight and growled: "Fine!" The mare had won, still infuriated the dragon was letting his words spill like poison. A limp would heal quickly, he would be back in a month, what was a month, nothing to him, but each time its beak would clap the mare's bones were shivering.

Despite her fear, Applejack rejoiced. She had done it. The dragon would leave.

Suddenly the dragon's anger fell and it raised its head and eyes over the mare, towards the end of the street. She turned and saw it, a crowd of ponies with her friends at their head and at their front, it was Victory. The blazing mare was trotting, her back leg limping so blatantly, making each stride painful. But she was there, her coat a brazier and her mane trailing like the fire of a shooting star. On her back was the black cape, the one Rarity had made, a pitch black like space on which her colors reflected more fervent, and it clapped like the beak did as she slowed down before the cowmare.

Just an instant, as both were looking at each other Applejack thought to tell her what she had done, how they would be fine for a whole month. But she could say nothing, as if weak, her eyes were plunged in the two gigantic, diamond eyes of Victory. The old mare paced past her and even then her back leg was tense, but her whole body was tense and furious. Her whole behavior told all and Applejack paced back, stunned.

The dragon was grinning again, a ferocious grin. "I heard you weren't feeling well" he mocked her. She answered nothing. Her two inexpressive eyes were fixed on the two glassy eyes of the beast. Its tail whipped unconsciously, his wings opened a bit and fluttered. As rumor had spread ponies were coming from the whole town, at the same time leaving the street and watching from afar, were letting the two opponents alone. So they were there, at the edge of Ponyville, her in the dark and empty street, him in the bright colors of daylight.

"Wat is it yow fande?" The mare growled.

"Why bother with pesky questions." The beast objected, then coughed. "Tonight I won't have to smell your pestilence."

She looked down and away, a second or two during which the whole street was mute. Not a breeze, not a chip. "I am foo" she said, her voice weaker so the dragon wasn't sure to have understood all. "Is it sak a forfeit to yisce pees, bot dage folwe a forloyne wit out me. I lees myn hoom, the gorge is emty." And she yelled: "Wat ma sholde I yeld?!" Her look on its look, a few steps towards the beast challenging it for an answer, for any reaction, in vain. The mare approached even more, making the crowd afar thrill. At the limit of darkness she stopped, so near that the rays of sun were warming her forelegs.

But the dragon wouldn't care, its claws clenched, beak slight open waiting. "I am foo" she repeated, her voice stronger. "A yef I sholde spille I wol. Yef that is myn Queene's wel I wol. I dereyned, I fohte to live! In thy feydom, wat wol yow seye?"

"Why did you kill my son?"

She struck the ground with her two hooves toes sharp in the soil, infuriated, her cape clapped as the beast before her opened its wings wide, roared and its beak turned into a furnace, in the boiling air, the flames were forming from its throat then spit. The flames covered the streets, burning grass and stones, ran all its length setting fronts alight, the flames forced ponies at the end to flee and ended on the head of a fountain's statue. "Victory!" Twilight screamed and her friends with her, "my cape!" they couldn't hear in the noise of fire. The whole street was ablaze, ponies running for water and buckets as the rest was watching over the rising smoke the dragon's head watching.

Then, slowly and slowly the flames weakened, as stone wouldn't burn well and grass would be consumed, the street turned into gray dust, building still burning, and they waited. As water was poured at the end of the street the group of ponies tried to approach the ground and air so hot they couldn't make one more step. Now the dust itself was waning and the street reappeared. The cape clapped in the air, in a sudden calm.

Victory was still standing exactly where she had been, not even hurt, not even sweating and immediately the young student saw it, under her hooves the grass still intact, still green. A whole trail behind her had been left untouched, "what magic" the student muttered. In an instant every possibility ran in her mind, and she felt a cold shiver along her spine. "Celestia's blessing? I don't understand…" but she was the only one to care as Dash was already cheering for the pony in this fight.

But then there was another question, one only the tale would ask and that nopony could think of. The blazing mare opened her eyes, feeling the hot air around her, she saw the drache and fixed its two beast eyes. There was no comfort, nothing in her chest but fury. Teeth clenched the mare shook her head, shook her trailing mane. It seemed the flames on fronts along her chocked and died out. She was furious. She was furious. She couldn't tell why and couldn't care she was furious. The dragon's roar made everypony's heart halt all the time it lasted, of pure rage, and it screamed: "Come and fraiste me you mortherer!"

"Be gone myn drede!" The mare yelled, suddenly galloped and ignoring the pain, just as daylight pierced through the straying smoke Victory charged.

* * *

**And that's it for episode four. Yup, it's rushed, I kept cutting and still by chapter 18 I knew I wouldn't have enough place for the fight itself. Maybe it's better that way. With all I cut a lot more is left for you to guess than usual, and that I know isn't better at all. Rarity suffered the most from it, so I'll just mention her part is inspired from Dürrenmatt's old lady. Also, no explanation planned on why Victory is so cheated until chapter six or seven.  
**

**I won't have another occasion to talk until chapter twenty-five... mh. Just an anecdote. Noticed the fireworks at the end of the duel? The show likes to put my fics' in peril.  
**

**To be honest I follow the number of views and readers closely. And while I am jealous of more successful stories I'm still surprised to see people reading me past chapter four. I'm jealous because I wished more people would get interested in Victory - the statue in the show - than just me. A tumblr would be amusing... And I'm surprised because, honestly, I expected to have zero reader past the twentieth thousand word. I was prepared for it.  
**

**What can possibly keep you all reading...  
**


	21. That's prejudice

I waited and waited for the unexpected but found myself wandering again in Victory's tale, hopeful I think, to watch in the park two pupils learn from each other the lessons of friendship. With the morning away time seemed to slip, leaving one to talk and the other lain her coat contrasting with a grassy green as with the bulk of a tree in shadows, only one of her toes touched by the shining sunlight. Her breath was less than the breeze in foliages, in the floating shades cutting sharp her two eyes were two stones and polished would reveal trying and trying all there was, all there would be, but a stonehearted mare.

There were, on trees, still slight marks of crust, grayish or gone.

Reaching her two piles of book back at the bench the lavender mare sighed, then paced back with a scroll she unrolled for her sit student. This was basics, and she made her repeat the elements of harmony to stop at kindness. "Kindness means… being kind!" Twilight said as the scroll levitating would show a symbol among five others. Being kind, to care for, to show attention and altruism, when her own student frowned the mare guessed she didn't understand that word. She took the first example she could think of, and asked, "how was school?"

Victory wasn't at school that morning. Cherrilee didn't want her near the foals, she stated, her eyes fixed on Twilight's eyes. Neither did the Cake. She had slept outside. Her voice, her look void far more than the words let the studious unicorn shaken. Quiet, a quiet tone and monochord, after a short silence Victory genuinely added:

"Haue I done something wrong?"

"I'm not sure… I don't think so" Twilight answered, grieved. She had still the vivid memory "back then… you were smiling…"

She brushed those moments away to focus on the lesson itself, since it was one of the last elements to review she would make "extra" sure to lay out her exhaustive knowledge about it. And she began, and her pupil's head fell between hooves, listening, watching the pages fly before her, feeling anger at each smile of her teacher and her joyful voice. Even when Fluttershy approached them, flying low then fluttering to land and pace past the bench she kept patiently listening. The young creamy pegasus first behind her friend quickly went before her to finally get her attention.

The blazing mare watched them talk, their happy faces, the jolts on their lengthy brushed manes, the sun on their bristle. It was about another animal the pegasus had trouble with, but Twilight wasn't sure if she could stop her lesson in the middle. "Let us go" Victory got up and intervened, a heavy pace on the ground. The lesson would wait, a mare needed help, she went forward on the path quickly followed by Fluttershy. It took more time for Twilight to snap out and say "wait for me!" Before trotting after them.

On the road the mare explained, around them the vast fields of green and whirled bushes contrasted with the darker forest far ahead. "She must come from the Everfree Forest" the mare proposed, the creature was a she who had fallen from a tree and hurt its head. She added something about glow worms when she stumbled on an anchor.

"What's an anchor doing there?" Twilight wondered after her friend.

All three followed the rope attached which was hanging up in the air, at the bright woody hull of an airship, air oars still moving on the cyan sky.

The captain's voice confirmed a full halt. Proudly at the bow feeling the wind in his mane the Prince turned and followed the guardrail on the side, stopped to let one waiter adjust his tie, the flower at his neck as the other waiter approached a plate with his cold tea. He then boarded the platform and let the sounds of blocks and that of the captain weaken behind him in his descent. Before the platform touched he jumped aground and sighed, relieved, but quickly regained his royal composure to approach the mares.

"Twilight Sparkle" Blueblood greeted, "a charm to see you again. Same with your friends, this must be Rainbow Dash I presume."

"Good day to you Prince" The studious mare frantically intervened. "It's an honor to have you here! What brings you to Ponyville?"

He had come for Victory, the mare frowned and backed away asking why and the Prince explained, that her reputation had reached Canterlot, at what news the mare backed a bit more, how she was often mentioned and she gritted her teeth. The dazzling stallion had come to the conclusion that he would become a knight. He waited for a reaction, got none, the three mares looking at him eyes wide. So he waited some more until Twilight got it, "you want to be… a knight?" She wondered.

"A white stallion of bravery and admiration, stunning crowds with his sole name." Blueblood rubbed his hoof on his chest. "And I have come for Victory to help me become one."

For seconds the blazing mare stood silent, letting them talk more, and the Prince was explaining how an airship allowed all the comfort while in the countryside. For seconds the mare heard her own heartbeat and felt the dirt on her hooves, sounds whistling in her ears. Fluttershy touched her elbow, asked if she was alright. She seemed to wake up, turned and returned on the road towards the young pegasus' cottage.

Blueblood looked at her leaving, asked intrigued: "Where is she going?"

"I… will go see!" Twilight said, a bit distressed, "wait here!" And as the Prince nodded she galloped after her student.

Of course she wouldn't train this stallion, Victory stated to the two mares flanking her on each side, still pacing away she asked why she ever would. "But it's the Prince!" But she shook her head and shook her teacher's heart, she would recognize no royalty but the Princess. "But he wants to be…" a knight, the mare cut Fluttershy with gall in her voice. She was striding faster, the Prince and his ship farther behind, "but what will I tell him?" The unicorn stressed. Victory accelerated even more, said in exasperation if he wanted to become a knight, to act like one or to "debreide" his horn.

They let Twilight leave and waited for her before the bridge, in silence, they saw her trot back to them and the creamy mare asked how it went. Her friend forced an unconvinced smile, they wouldn't have to worry about it she proposed while pushing them to go on, past the bridge leaving all things behind but the cottage.

Behind by the short fences Fluttershy's creatures surrounded a table on which was put a thick bush, leaves dry and crisp in a deep yellow touch. The young pegasus trotted to the bush explaining that each time she tried to heal the wound the creature wouldn't let her, and she designated the plant. "Uh, Fluttershy…" Her unicorn friend pondered how to state the obvious, "are you sure it- she fell from a tree?" But the young mare was certain, she told her friend to look at the head and her hoof hovered over the leaves.

A hoof on her face Twilight turned to Victory for help, saw her with a tiny bell hanging at her mouth. She had taken it in the kitchen, said something about legends and let the bell ring for a few seconds. The bush frisked, frisked some more and suddenly all leaves retracted on the golden coat of a lengthy stoat. "Oh, an herbin! Of course!" The student exclaimed and approached the little trembling animal. There it was, a little scratch on the temple, just before its tiny ear.

"How cute!" She couldn't help but add as the creamy mare applied balsam on the wound. "But I thought they lived at night? How come you met one?"

"Oh, it's nothing special." Fluttershy quietly answered. "You see…" And she stopped, the motion of her hoof halted. Her friend insisted, so she just added with a bit of doubt "I prefer to tell you another time… If you don't mind…"

She felt Victory's eyes on her, the two diamond eyes expressing nothing. The blazing mare noticed it, looked away and went to put the bell back in the kitchen, leaving Fluttershy relieved. "I'm still a bit nervous with her…" she admitted to Twilight who reminded the shy pegasus how she was nervous with mostly everypony. Of course it was different, the unicorn sighed, but she couldn't tell exactly what. They didn't finish, the mare had reappeared to ask if they were done here, as her lesson awaited.

They left the cottage, its green roofs and its moss past the bridge and back to the path, back to Ponyville. They slowed down as both saw the airship still anchored exactly where they had left it, the gracious balloon throwing its shadow on the ground, turned their coats in darker tones. Still the path was free, no Prince in sight so they continued towards the park where more ponies had come to relax, playing on grass and around the fountain. The two piles of books were still there untouched, as was the area, as if preserved. The lavender mare thought to report the lesson, since it was louder around, but Victory insisted, scratched the ground when asking her teacher to teach her, suddenly slammed the ground making those stallions and mares who weren't already looking look at them.

"Hello again" Blueblood gently smiled and approached the two mares. "This isn't Canterlot of course, but I suffered expedients and this lovely here helped me clean my horn."

Following the classy stallion was a mare of blue streak, with the shiniest smile of the town holding a tooth brush. And, indeed, his horn was even cleaner than usual, the curves on it almost those of a newborn. "Wat is this jape?!" Victory yelled, furious at the stallion and at Celestia's student who lost her chuckle. Already Blueblood was approaching, saying he was ready to become a knight without the slightest care for the mare's fury. He was at her height, asked when they would begin.

"Neure, fle fore I rende oure leggs down to bowe."

The Prince turned to Twilight, asked what it meant. The tone alone had made him step back. "She… refuses" and the Prince, shocked, asked why. He was royalty, he could reward her, he did what he was asked. And Twilight, anxiously, asked Victory to be reasonable, to treat Celestia's nephew more reasonably. "Him, hir neue" she rejected the idea, growling, then paced on the ground out of rage as the studious mare pleaded her to at least try. Fed up the blazing pony strode to Blueblood, toe on his tie, defied him.

"Stand here, no move, no food, no drink, no talk, one day and one night" she forced herself to swallow "or be gone."

"Fine!" Blueblood answered with disdain. "I will." And he turned back, walked away adding "of course I can" as he was leaving them he continued, it would be easy for him, so easy, and he left the park.


	22. Before the storm

Candles were alit, a couple on the table leaving the rest of the library in the dark. They were face to face facing their sandwiches, and the mare grunted, to which Spike moaned rubbing his arm as he looked at the door, then at his companion. Two candles were enough to set the mare's coat ablaze, a live coal among shadows one hoof near the plate tapping impatiently. He looked back at the door closed, she would be back soon Twilight said, he moaned again and lowered his head, vexed.

She wouldn't move, she had stopped tapping on the table and was now looking away, at all the books around. "So…" Spike tried, scratched his green fins. He had nothing to say, just to make a conversation, to fill the dark room. Then as the discussion died, she had barely replied, he tried to put his paw on his sandwich to immediately feel her glare on him, those two eyes that could freeze his body, or simply make him smile nervously and back away from his attempt, arms crossed, growling.

"You know she might spend the whole night outside" the baby dragon peeked at her over his shoulder.

She coldly replied: "And as Twilight Sparkle's bonde it's your duty to wait for her."

What did she mean by bond the dragon asked, and her explanation let him baffled. "Geez thanks!" She could as well tell he was some furniture he groaned. To his surprise Victory seemed curious, almost abashed the he wouldn't be, and somehow he felt she was serious. So he explained, who Twilight was for him, who he was for her and that it was definitely another kind of bond. When he was finished, the mare was looking at him, without a word, for seconds and seconds. Spike snapped his claws, waved at her, she barely reacted. Then she suddenly breathed and turning away from him, told him he could eat.

All the little crumbs of the sandwich had sprayed outside his plate, almost to hers, little morsels of glowing stone by the candles. She grunted as he asked if the mare was hungry, pushed her own dinner towards him. Let him swallow it too. She was now silent again, as he jumped down his stool Spike asked if she would like anything more, even a glass of water, without any answer. He suddenly felt bad and asked if she wanted the sandwich after all but she shook her head, mane burning white in darkness, and kept looking away.

"I… have to prepare your bed." The assistant quickly said, feeling constrained. "For, you know… sleeping."

She let him go, on the stair his flat candlestick lighting up his scales he told her she could leave the table, waited for her to do nothing then moaned for himself and left. Only then did Victory look at the table again, the empty plates and the huge statue of a horse head. Her toe was tapping again as she listened to all the noise upstairs, sounds of an uphill fight if she knew one. A quick glance at the door still silent, outside the night had fully set in, she hesitated, she was about to leave the table when, disgruntled, the mare put her two legs crossed on it, slipped her snout in between. She couldn't leave, the tale repeated, she couldn't leave and her ears flattened.

Finally Spike came back "bed is ready!" As proud as a young dragon could be. Her luggage was on it, which basically meant her cape. "You're still sit?" He frowned at her, took the two plates and was about to leave again when she stopped him.

"Twilight is lying at me, isn't she." Her voice was feeble.

He turned, asked what she could possibly mean. All those lessons about friendship, she wanted to know if Celestia's student was serious about teaching her, if she wasn't playing dumb. The mare's voice seemed powder in the night. "Twilight doesn't lie!" Except a few lots of exceptions that he brushed aside, of course she was serious, entirely dedicated to it, still at it early in the morning. And on the defensive the dragon asked why it could possibly bother Victory. Her eyes were on him, inexpressive but he felt threatened nonetheless.

"She must not fail." The mare stated.

"Or what?" He defied her, plates still on his paws. "You'll claim the kingdom?"

Those eyes on him, two diamonds dull despite the candles, he wished she would look away or just blink but she kept looking at him, silent. Then she confirmed, she would. "Well good luck with that" Spike shrugged and quickly walked away with the plates when the door opened and the young unicorn, a bit cold, walked in. "Twilight!" The dragon exclaimed and, forgetting the plates, ran to her hugging her firmly. She rubbed his head kindly, watched the dark room and asked why there were morsels of gems on the table. Victory left her stool, asked what took the student so long. She giggled, evasive: "I was helping."

Outside was tepid at best, however the bright sky of millions of stars was offering glows on the river, glows on grass and on the facades, broken only by the tiny rare lights of the town. The dirt was still dry, as the last doors slammed and the half moon was up high Blueblood finished his tea, hovered the still hot cup to his butler in yellow and black uniform who approached the lamp for him to read. His thick mantle was like a deep blue cover under which the Prince felt cozy. Still he pouted as the lamp wouldn't give as much light as he could want on his book. "How is wearing my eyes possibly helping me become a knight, I ask you" and the butler approved, measured, that it most probably didn't.

A bit dissatisfied the Prince closed his book, let his servant take it back and made sign for his musician to begin. The gray mare took a long and disdainful look at the stallion, then held her bow, grasped the cello and began.

"I would prefer a little sonata if you don't mind" Blueblood reacted at the music. The musician halted, sighed and tried another partition.

Stupid test expressed the stallion face as he nodded at the new tune, approving it. Around the town was so quiet, a bit too dark to his taste, he felt a chill looking where it opened on the hills in full darkness, like a black drape engulfing everything. His legs were tense, he motioned them one after the other and complained, what a stupid test truly.

"What is possibly happening down there?" A gracious mare's voice forced him to look up at the open window above him. "What are you all doing in my garden?!"

She had her beauty mask on her, still despite the cucumbers she quickly took away Rarity could see the little assembly at the side of the Carousel Boutique. The Prince greeted her calmly, asked why she wasn't asleep. "I was" the white unicorn had almost gravel in her voice when she recognized him. Of all the direly needed attentions a lady needed, sleep was not the least. She would have them go. "I am afraid I can't" Blueblood nobly answered. He was under a test, judged by none other than her friend Twilight Sparkle, and he had to stay here a whole day and night, with pesky other details like not talking.

"You are talking." Rarity observed.

"It doesn't count."

From her window the precious mare expressed disbelief, annoyed, repeated for him to go. He would have none of it, she should insist, he declined. Rarity considered the stallion down there in the garden, partly covered by darkness, his blonde mane, his noble stature. She sighed and asked if he was still at her for losing him in the maze. "Well I did end up sleeping under the rain, in the mud" he didn't even fret, as if those were things long gone, listened as she apologized for that night. The cello was still playing its lengthy notes.

But when he refused yet again she grumbled, sickened, left the window and he tried to catch her hoofsteps up there, in vain. He immediately felt bored, weariness as the night advanced when another voice caught his attention, from the same window a little filly with the most tiny adorable horn he had seen.

"Uh, mister Prince?" The little sister addressed him. "I wouldn't stay there if I was you." He asked why, with mockery. "My sister is filling a full bucket of water."

"What?!" He felt shocked at the idea, then feeling the looks of all around him he regained his composure, bravely rejected such a petty conduct. Of course she wouldn't, "I warned you" the filly said leaving the window and Blueblood suddenly felt each passing second, as he wouldn't budge with a superior smile on his face, waiting. The music was now a little more joyful, his butler stepped back a little with the lamp but the Prince stood firm. He wouldn't look at the window, only straight in front of him at the darkness. And just as suddenly water soaked him from mane to tail, pouring heavily through the mantle, and he coughed. "Leave my lawn!" Rarity yelled when closing the window.

The music continued, slowly to calm, the Prince was shocked. Now the breeze of night was making him tremble, cold, but most of all his pride was dripping. He frowned, raised his head and clopped on the ground for his butler. The stallion in yellow and black livery paced to their luggage, took another mantle and replacing the one soaked, began drying his noble master. "How petty" he whispered for himself, feeling good again and his look defied the closed window. Something caught his eyes, passing by far up in the sky, he saw a pegasus flying before the half Moon. She was doing tricks, dashing alone scrambling past the clouds and he thought, it was so strange, and so fascinating.

It occurred to him how tired he felt, as warmth was coming back in his body, more and more dry the noble stallion yawned. What a stupid test, and he watched the mare in the sky loop and plunge in rolls, turn wide and fast. The music was distant for him, he couldn't hold on the notes as they went, disappeared in the obscurity. Not a minute later, he was lain down and asleep, and his bristle in the grass was another Moon that the lamp of his butler allowed to shine. The mare, at her cello, stopped and looked at her companion in livery, who confirmed that they were finished.

"What, already?" And Twilight, her heavy book still hovering by the door, thanked the butler.

The studious mare regained her desk, sit on her stool her dark tail waving she returned to the several books she had opened, with old writings of laws and customs, the history of Equestria. Her light was a glimpse in the room, yet a persistent light. And suddenly, there it was, a village at the Ghastly Gorge, centuries ago.


	23. Shattered

Books were piled up, when Twilight turned she saw the mare sniffing at their cover, perplexed at the letters of each title. Rolling up a few last scrolls Twilight smiled, with the midday light warming her lavender coat she felt ready to face another lesson. Kindness of course and she quickly recapitulated the different parts in her mind. "Ready" Victory asked, but the student still had to check a last time with Spike upstairs. She let her saddlebag down and went up into the room where the purple dragon was finishing tidying up the beds, his paw still on the cushion, feeling it.

That wasn't important, the moment she approached him he turned and in his other paw was the letter. As the student asked him about the day's tasks Spike was waiting for a way to interrupt her, until she recognized this envelope with its carefully written words, "to Victory". She guessed her assistant had put in on the bed like the last time but he denied, and rubbing his nape he proposed to open the letter. "You mean open it for her?" He meant reading it themselves, learning what was inside. The moment Twilight frowned the dragon rushed, maybe there were answers in there, about Victory, and surely the unicorn wanted to know. But she shook her head and lecturing him, told him to forget it.

She went down refusing to listen to Spike's renewed attempts to convince her, and joining Victory at the entrance she left the library, leaving her baby assistant to touch the pillow again, where the head had left its marks, and it was humid.

With the day joyful again the young pony trotted and happily, mane waving at her gleeful pace. The books were following in a row, hovering in line as at her side was striding the blazing mare. Ponyville was quiet, less ponies than usual but she didn't bother, already in her lesson she was asking Celestia's protégé questions about kindness, all the more happy to receive the exact answers she had taught her the past day. The park wasn't far away, past houses the land opened, the tents and past the tents the airship still anchored, and before all the river and its bridges, before the closest bridge a stallion. "Him again" the old mare hissed, willing to avoid him but Twilight couldn't help it and went that way.

"Prince Blueblood" she greeted, then wondering: "What are you doing now?"

A fierce voice answered: "Beats me" and looking up on a tree branch the unicorn saw her pegasus friend napping. "Something about knights and bridges" and the sky blue mare yawned, "night!"

She turned on her belly, legs hanging and her cheek on the branch, deep in her sleep. Returning to the Prince, he confirmed and conceding that he had failed the test, but not willing to give up, "I remembered." One thing Victory had said was for him to act like a knight, and since knights were preventing passage on bridges he wouldn't let her future teacher cross it until she would accept to train him. "Um, Prince" and chuckling a bit the unicorn didn't even correct him, only made him observe that their destination was the park. On "this" side of the river. It took him a few seconds to understand.

Yet he still observed he was acting as a knight, and he formally challenged his counterpart. At that moment Twilight turned to Victory, to see her scratch the ground, furious, teeth clenched to the point of hurting, and most of all, her eyes so inexpressive, like two stones.

"Wy do yow thraste me…" In a faint hiss. "Do thou nat trewen myn lyf unlede a caytif ynow?" Eyes closed, she was trembling.

And slowly, very slowly, she let a weak smile pierce, she squinted, asked for Celestia's student to give her permission. "For what?" To take Blueblood's challenge, and her heavy hoof struck the ground making dirt burst in little strains. The Prince asked the same and Twilight, unsure, nodded, to see the mare advance towards the bridge. "Yow want a fight?" She defied him, as they met eye on eye she told him to hit her, she dared him to try. He hesitated, she pushed him back violently, "eh!" The student exclaimed but didn't move. Victory repeated, she dared him, pushed him again. He smacked her, found himself down on the path his head burning, his entire body weak and at his temple a burning feeling. The mare was looking at him with her two dull eyes, at the downed stallion.

"Yow heasce knighthood" and seeming to calm but barely, "yow are defeated, leave and take your little game of colt with yow."

Blueblood, still shocked, touched his temple and felt it wet, looked at his hoof then at the mare. Then he painfully raised, got up on his legs. "Defeated? 'Tis a scratch." And he smiled, noble again. Twilight tried to intervene, for them to stop but Victory, infuriated, dared him again, and her eyes were as inexpressive as glass. Blueblood raised his foreleg, striked and saw his hoof parried by both of the mare's put as a shield. "Hit me!" She hissed and he tried but too slow, but too weak, the young unicorn saw Victory suddenly rise on her two back legs, one of them weak, and she remembered. It went too fast for her to even warn the Prince who hit the ground harder, breath short and panting, and blinded.

"Victory, stop!" But the moment she said that wanting to intervene the unicorn was stopped, Blueblood trying to get up again but his grip on the ground was slipping, he shook his head, one eye open, succeeded to stand. On her branch Dash had been woken up, she asked what was going on.

"I will become a knight" the Prince said, adding anger to Victory's fury. "Since I saw you in the garden…" She cut him, her smile vanished, "wat" and he plunged himself in the memory. "You were up on the pedestal, part of you still in stone, and the two shooting stars at your side…"

What was fury turned to rage, she yelled: "Yow lyghere!" And rose on her two back legs. Twilight felt a jolt on her back, her horn burnt to stop the strike trying to grip the blazing mare but in vain, the more she tried the weakest her glow, in a second it all but disappeared and the helpless unicorn watched both toes sharp hit the stallion and Blueblood, in a gasp, widen his eyes. There had been a break, a painful sound, they all watched the pony thrown down on the ground and as if broken, unable to even motion but little spasms. "Yow are nothing but lies! Wernard! Losengere!" Victory kept screaming at her victim, no Prince nor knight but an egoistic brat with pleasure for all kindness. She was about to hit him again when Dash interposed, wings wide open and fierce.

"Stop it!" The pegasus scolded. "Pick on somepony your size!" And she fluttered her wings.

Victory squinted, put down her hoof and with a last look to the stallion in pain she returned to Celestia's student. She paced towards Twilight and Twilight paced a little back. She was finished, they could go to their lesson. "No" the unicorn said, and there was something left of amiability in her voice, like shards. There would be no lesson, not this day, not another, she was done. Twilight was shaken, as her student rebelled she cut her, reminded her how she tried and tried even after… and the young mare's voice was sadder. She wanted to believe in Victory, and she wouldn't tell why, but then: "You are mean. Stonehearted. That's all there is." And the young unicorn added, she didn't want to have anything to do with her anymore.

As Twilight spoke, the blazing mare listened but barely, mouth agape, stepped back at those words. She felt anger but anger failed to express itself, trembling the mare said, she was Celestia's student, she was bound to obey her queen.

"Princess Celestia would never approve your conduct. I won't."

She said nothing more, leaving the blazing mare to struggle, stomp and pace in anger, in shock, she repeated, "yow can't!" And she repeated, "I have" And Rainbow Dash, still at the stallion's side, took pleasure to add: "She did." Victory halted, abated, and her eyes seemed to look but nowhere, like stunned. She looked around, and at the Sun, and began to pace away. Paced slowly past the Prince, past the sky blue pegasus. Strode past the bridge, and her back leg hurting, trotted away by the paths. Galloped.

"Good riddance!" Dash sighed and smiled at her friend, to find her troubled. What the Princess would say, how she would explain. But more important was the Prince, she approached and asked him this silly question, if he was hurt, she meant how badly.

"Stay away." Blueblood muttered, his own voice like a stretched chord. "Both of you."

They obeyed, looked at him try to get up again, his legs scratching the ground weakly, his head barely raised. He was panting, he grunted, his face strained the stallion screamed in pain. Slowly, but slowly his legs moved, his back followed. He stumbled, fell back on the ground heavily, in a hiss, kept at it, stumbled again, kept trying. They saw at one elbow a wide stain of dark blue that the coat couldn't hide, they could feel it. Blueblood, grunting and breathing, wavered on his legs, couldn't raise his head any higher. Drops were dripping from his lips, from the chin. Nothing more, nothing less, the pony stood still standing up in front of the bridge, unable to watch nothing but the path and his weak hooves.

"Prince Blueblood, you should-" But a glare from him, from his one eye open forced the young student to remain silent. They looked at each other, Dash shrugging at this conduct proposed to stay and look after their Prince. Had to nap anyway. That left Twilight to go to the hospital, ask for a doctor and also tell the airship. She worried aloud if he hadn't received too much of a hit on the head, and heart heavy, after a few last words of comfort for him she took on her to leave the stallion behind.

Sufficed for her to tell his name and the doctor, leaving all things behind, asked her his medical bag hovering where the patient was. She then trotted to the airship, called for someone and the platform was lowered, with the butler asking what she wanted. He seemed sincerely touched by the Prince condition, thanked her and asked where the culprit was. "You mean Victory?" The young mare pouted, she had no idea. She left the airship, walked by the path not too sure where she was going, with just the need to walk. Her entire schedule was repeating in her head, from then to then, friendship lesson, and she lowered her head under all the feelings that were assailing her.

"Hello Twilight" Fluttershy asked and the studious mare realized she was at her friend's cottage. "You look awful, did something happen?"

Behind her friend she could hear Pinkie Pie, pushed by curiosity she went to see and the creamy pegasus with her, watch the pinky mare play with the herbin. "Heya Twilight!" And she too asked why she seemed so sad. The unicorn explained, what had happened and she narrated the tale detailed, she recalled things differently. Once she got to the part where Victory had run away Pinkie sighed: "You lost her again?!" And all smiling immediately after: "Oh well! Time to grab my gramophone!" And she left them hopping past her friends with a little catchy hum. "I think…" Fluttershy said, that they should trust their friend. And the creamy pegasus, yawning, returned to her animals.


	24. Never give up

Returning to the bathroom her legs plunged in the bucket, threw cold water on her face, she shook then came back to her room. Her dummy was there in the late morning mocking her with the heavy mess of that dress unfinished. Rarity approached, used the cloth to dry her face and weighing the deep blue tissue with its tiny round bells she sighed, then pulled the whole work down. All that remained was the hood with its fringe still undone and she took it down too with her teeth, let it hang on her mouth.

"Hey sis'!" In the hallway the filly unicorn was rubbing one eye with her hoof, asked if she wanted some breakfast. The gracious mare, still at her failure refused and showed the hood as if evidence of a crime. After a nod her little sister changed the subject, "Fluttershy passed by" proposing some mushrooms if they wanted, but she had told her to come back later since the Boutique was asleep.

"You could have woken me up." Rarity moaned, then rejoiced.

A trip to her friend's cottage was all she needed, taking the hood with her she went down the stair, put the cloth in a saddlebag and squeezing the belt she said they would have mushroom omelets for brunch. But the filly had returned to her room drawdling and Rarity left, trotted by the first path in plain nature where fresh air could cool her frustration.

She knocked on the cottage door, heard a voice on the other side and went for the garden where the creamy pegasus was finishing spraying seeds for her chicken. The young mare behind her smooth pink mane seemed tired, yet her smile was as welcoming as ever. She showed the precious unicorn a basket of mushrooms she had just picked up, "they look..." her friend pondered, she was not familiar with those ones but since it was from Fluttershy she smiled and thanked.

"You seem tired" the pegasus dared, worried for her friend.

"Oh, you wouldn't know the beginning of it!" Rarity stressed. "I was asked to make a night dress! A night dress! In all of my years of high couture I've never heard such a request!"

Fluttershy looked down, blushing, saw the hood her friend had taken from the bag and the tiny round bells ringing. Behind her the herbin asleep woke up suddenly, the long leaves returning to slick and gold fur the critter raised its head and looked, alert. Rarity didn't pay attention, still busy showing her fruitless work when the creamy shy mare said: "I... I think it's nice." It wasn't just a compliment, she stepped forward just a bit and asked if she could have a night dress made for her too.

"You?!" Rarity tried to grasp, and the hood on her hoof was just as agitated.

Blushing some more Fluttershy evaded the why, pawed and said if she couldn't, but the gracious mare corrected, of course she would do that for her. They both quickly looked for something else to say and the unicorn recounted how the Prince's airship had been anchored just as to throw its shadow on the Carousel. She was certain it was on purpose, because of the night they were in Canterlot and the pegasus nodded, she remembered, before adding she felt bad for Blueblood. And when she realized that her friend didn't know Fluttershy explained, the Prince was before the bridge near the park, standing there since yesterday and he was hurt. She had tried to offer him some mushroom "but he... didn't want them."

"That stallion!" The precious mare complained. "He would do anything to get some attention!"

In her agitation she had shaken the hood again, the tiny bells ringing all this time in the air made the herbin suddenly jump like a bolt and in a little squeal the animal rolled up around the mare's neck, made itself cozy. First surprised the tickled mare giggled, then got it: "A scarf!" She would add it to her dress and suddenly it all unfolded before her, the perfect design. Putting the hood back in the saddlebag, a part emerging she thanked Fluttershy, took her basket of mushrooms and left with the shy pegasus remarking: "Nights are not that cold."

All night long he had stood, his eyes closing the white stallion kept breathing heavily. His legs were hurting him for just standing like that for so long, as were hurting his head and elbow.

Then there was the amused crowd formed around him, with colts approaching to poke at their Prince and watch if he would move. Rainbow Dash plunged and chased them: "Will you stop already?" Helped by the butler she patrolled around the stallion, made sure the mares curious wouldn't approach, kept them at bay. And she confronted them, what was so funny, sure she grunted the Prince wasn't helping but anyway, the pegasus made her mane fulminate in the air and pushed some ponies away again. "Good grief!" She heard the high pitch voice of her friend, the unicorn crossing the bridge.

"Prince Blueblood!" She trotted and turned face to face with the stallion, to see the marks on his forefront and temple, and his eyes so weak. She grimaced but staying noble the gracious mare with her new critter scarf around her neck took a silk hankerchief and mopped in little touches the sweat from the Prince's head. Touching the strains she saw the tissue tainted, sighed:

"Your conduct is unfit for one of your rank." She wanted to mock him. "Now stop being a foal."

As he wasn't answering she added, he needed rest, care, still getting no reaction she let a frustrated grunt escape. The butler intervened, explained that his master refused all and any help. "Fine!" She said, head high nose as raised as was gracious to do. She was ready to leave him to the crowd when she noticed, the crowd had left with just a few ponies still curious, soon to walk away. Rainbow Dash, confused, thanked her for whatever before stretching and flying into her tree, her daily sleep awaiting her. "Nice scarf..." she added before closing her eyes and the precious unicorn, looking a last time behind her at the standing stallion, a bit worried, snapped out of it and left.

Ball up, ball down. Ball up. Ball down. Ball up and down and up and down.

She put her hoof on the ball and her horn ablaze of its purple magic crackled in the library. She could feel the magic trying to get the ball up again, the resistance to her hoof as she pressed and forcing on both sides, almost crushed the toy under her toe. Then the studious mare watched the inert ball on the wood floor, unsatisfied, until the glow surrounded it and, ball up, ball down, Spike's voice interrupted her, disgruntled.

"Twilight, you've been doing that for hours." The baby dragon said.

By hours he meant that she had missed breakfast. And dinner. She was still concentrated, the ball hovering near her and the unicorn suddenly felt the need to take it down, saw her leg trembling. She slowly turned to Spike a face ready to break, the second later she was hugging him sobbering. It had been so horrible, so horrible she repeated, she could barely explain it, as if feeling numb or empty. Her magic wouldn't answer, her assistant calmed her flattering the side of her neck, asked what it was all about. When she wanted to stop the mare from hitting Blueblood... her magic had vanished. She dried her last sobs, feeling stupid, but Spike repeated there was something with that mare and came back to the letter.

"Let's open it!" He insisted, saw her dismayed: "Come on, she won't know it, there will be no harm!" But Twilight refused abruptly.

They heard a knock, Spike running to go open, both saw Pinkie Pie with her gramophone attached on her back. "Why do you have a gramophone on your back?" Twilight asked and her pink friend immediately: "Because it's too heavy on my head!" Then she pressed both hooves on her lavender friend and serious, begged her to reconsider. Reconsider what, the mare wasn't sure to follow when her bouncy friend turned and stepping away from the door, came back her teeth gnawing at a flaming tail, dragging a full blazing mare past the entrance into the library, Victory with her face left of any expression.

Once finished Pinkie released the tail and back at her friend said the mare was "very very very very" and some very more sorry and to please give her another chance. Calming her Twilight paced away, by a few steps. She had already given Victory that chance many times. Away from them, still laying on the ground the blazing mare was without reaction, looking nowhere with her two dull eyes.

"Pinkie, she hit Blueblood, repeatedly!" Twilight cut her friend. "And then she made as if nothing happened!"

"Twilight, she is desperate!" And Pinkie Pie's smile was feeble.

Again, she looked at the old mare, her heavy hooves making her shiver, her eyes. No, she couldn't do it anymore, she was sorry, after what happened to the Prince, and as to strengthen her position she added, the stallion still received no care. Victory's look turned to them, her hoof motioned but merely, making Twilight add directly to her:

"He is still at the bridge, standing, he hasn't eaten or drunk or slept" She wanted to continue, to force some guilt on the blazing mare who stood up the instant, her look piercing that of Twilight. Her lips muttered surprise, Victory walked away and upstairs, they heard the voice of Spike surprised then a clap and she came back wearing her black cape. Then, with just a look, she forced the young unicorn to follow her, and Pinkie at their side they went for the bridge near the park, where a stallion was standing.

When they approached new groups of ponies were forming, opened to let them pass. Blueblood was shaking, panting, his tongue out to catch his breath. He heard Victory's voice as in a veil, forced himself and with a strength he didn't know, succeeded to raise his neck. His look plunged into the two dull eyes like diamonds.

"Hitte me." The furious mare said.

For seconds the stallion stood motionless, then slowly he raised his valid foreleg, hissed at the pain even as the hoof had just left the ground. He raised it, almost up to his chest, facing the mare, stretched it towards her then fainted and fell. His butler approaching sighed and clapped, making a mare run towards the hospital. victory was looking at the stallion, her lips still muttering faint words.

She turned and to Twilight and her other two friends, the fiery pegasus down with them, she asked: "He is verraily myn Duyk?"


	25. Beauty of the beast

Behind the cabinet was the cat hissing at the hum of her owner. Rolls of tissue were flying to join over the mannequin, pieces estimated then she would pace back to her board where the designs were drawn, reels and needles following her. The first dress was finished, this was the one for Fluttershy, "Fluttershy?" The young unicorn inquired as her friend nodded, busy at her work. Twilight Sparkle was standing a bit away from a mess of creation. It was the second of three orders, with a fourth possible one Rarity added, but pride apart she guessed the studious mare wasn't there to discuss fashion. "Would you like one?" She asked anyway, before changing the subject and to that effect Twilight decided to ask:

"I don't want to bother you but..." the mare pointed, "why is Fluttershy's herbin on your neck?"

To which the gracious mare answered it was helping her with inspiration, and rubbing the tiny head who let out a squeal she explained how the idea of a scarf had changed all, and the gold, and the smoothness of its fur, she lost her words taken in awe by the models she had in mind. Then back to her work taking the cut piece she went to sew it on the main part, and at each of the glamorous mare's steps the round bells in the room were ringing.

As for the other herbins Rarity added, she wasn't too sure. The little animals had strayed around, looking at her work like hypnotized. Opal in her corner hissed again and pawed in the air, making the gracious mare add how her pet loved their presence. Still, before many kind of tissues she admitted she didn't know how to imitate their softness, their "allure" she said in pity. Twilight nodded, paced over one of the creatures who looked at her seemingly scared before the ringing calmed it again.

"Actually, Rarity, I'm here because..."

Because of Blueblood of course! Her friend cut with confidence, to be proven false. It was because of the feeling Twilight had, when her magic failed, and she wanted to ask if the pure white unicorn had ever experienced such a thing. No, she hadn't, "but when did it happen darling?" And she stopped her work to approach and comfort the purple mare.

Maybe the events had distressed her so much that she had lost control, she ventured. Or maybe it was the blazing mare, and when Rarity proposed that to her friend Twilight shuddered. "Why do you say that?" It was clear in the unicorn's eyes what the answer was, how cold Victory was and, she admitted, she wasn't comfortable with that mare. Seeing her friend troubled she raised her happy voice and returned to Blueblood, how the Prince was at the hospital. "They even let him have some music" she detailed, and admitted she had visited him, of course, since there weren't many occasions to visit nobility in Ponyville.

Victory was at the hospital too, Twilight replied, to discuss with the Prince. Apologizing, she hoped, but in her voice was disbelief.

"Don't give up!" Rarity cheered her on. There were ponies like that who seemed desperate, but deep down when trying really hard, she tapped her hooves together, there was still a pony's heart. "She just needs a hooficure!" The precious mare concluded as her needle pulled out.

A hooficure Twilight wondered, past the door she got surprised by a running herbin who had jumped from the side inside, and the student looked behind then around, then sure that it was fine she left the Boutique to its squeals, hisses and ringing. The young mare decided to go back home, see Spike, when she approached the river the bridge was there, near it the tree and she almost thought Dash would be there. Before the bridge the purple mare hesitated, fearing what would be on the other side, then shook her head. It was so stupid of her she smiled and paced quietly to the other side, paced slowlier when looking on the ground, for something, then faster to leave it all behind.

Victory's voice halted her. The blazing mare was crossing at her turn coat dull under the sunlight, her mane brushed with a fierce lock over her eyes, cut sharp, and on her back was clapping her black cape. Soon at Twilight's height her look like stone caught that of the mare, and somehow, just somehow the tale erred, something like a line on her lips reassured Celestia's student. The stallion was fine, leaving in a few hours with some days of rest for all prescription, which idea she seemed to reject.

"Twilight Sparkle, I must ask yow" Victory sternly added.

"I would prefer if we discussed someplace else than in the middle of the street."

Her objection dwelled in, they went for a table where the waitress, looking a bit dreamy, took their order. Twilight took a sip, put down her drink and sighed, relaxed. She didn't have time to ask as the mare was already asking, if she would continue her lessons. "I don't know..." the student offered for sole reply, looking away. She wanted to say no, yet her determination had melted. "Twilight Sparkle" the cold voice of Victory, those inexpressive eyes on her forced on her.

"Do yow know the consequences of your decision."

"You mean" Twilight replied, suspicious, "the whole taking over Equestria?" And she joked, it wasn't serious.

It was. Victory would add nothing, just looking at the student who, intrigued, repeated how ridiculous it would be, then as the mare still wouldn't answer she added, "but you like Celestia!" That had nothing to do with it Victory answered, looking away feebly, as in a breath. And she returned the question, if the lavender unicorn - how she insisted on that last word the tale stressed - cared for her queen she would give her lesson. "Is that a threat?" The blazing mare looked at her directly, and nodded.

Why then, at this nod, Twilight didn't feel threatened she couldn't tell, revolted she was ready to answer and both hooves on the napkin when she saw the honey filly galloping by the street, "Applebloom!" She greeted with a leg and the filly stopping fast ran to them, fell at their hooves exhausted.

"Quick! The Carousel! It's an invasion!" Applebloom said in pretty much one word.

The Carousel Boutique was filled with the shriek of Rarity, by the windows, by the door wide open it was piercing the air. Putting Scootaloo down in her landing Dash observed the entrances covered by bushes, their leaves sharp, as if the Everfree had invaded the Boutique. She saw her studious friend approach, preceded by the other filly and with them the blazing mare. "Heard about it too?" She said, her voice loud to cover the screaming. As Twilight stopped by her she saw Opal hop between their legs, hissing at the bushes. At least the cat had escaped the student observed, then pondered what to do, "smash 'em!" The fiery pegasus answered ready to charge.

A few seconds later she was back rubbing her snout, with her scouting done she had found no free entrance to slip in. "We need Fluttershy" Twilight said and the two fillies confirmed that Sweetie Belle had gone to alert her. There they were Scootaloo pointed at a pony approaching, recognized her mistake. Blueblood trotted to them, his elbow bandaged, stopped and asked as calmly as the yelling allowed what had possibly happened. When he learned it was a group of herbins, and that the gracious mare was trapped inside he didn't hesitate and trotted in the exact opposite direction.

With him gone the mares stressed, Twilight pawing nervously. "We must do something!" Rainbow Dash helped her and the lavender mare turned to Victory, if she could intervene. Of course she could, the old mare answered, but she would be blamed for that. She showed them her hoof, as if a proof and said, if she did but she muted and her other gestures were hidden by the arrival of Sweetie Belle, the white filly galloping in circles around the group as Fluttershy landed behind them, intimidated by the herbins.

"Fluttershy, what do we do?" Twilight bypassed the blazing mare to ask. But the shy pegasus seemed panicked, she didn't know, she didn't think the critters could be reasoned with. "Why not?!" Dash intervened, because the herbins were terrorized just like the creamy mare. It was Rarity's shrieks, Victory added it was the unicorn's screams that were making the beasts panic, and Fluttershy in a faint voice confirmed.

Then they heard a loud ringing, saw the Prince trot past them with the heavy copper bell on his neck. He turned and looking at Victory, went back to thank the mare. "Wy" She asked, but him, instead of answering, took out a piece of tissue and gave it to her, then ran back to the Boutique. He reached the door, balked before the wall of sharp leaves then hopped through them and disappeared. At the jump Twilight had covered her eyes, opened them and saw at her side the cow without her bell. They could hear it ring as Blueblood climbed the stair, pricking himself on another herbin he followed the shriek right into Rarity's room. She saw him run in the middle of the room then shake the bell as loudly as he could. At that sound the herbins, one by one, folded their fur and then jumped on him, the first the one on the mare's neck. She saw the little creatures stack on the stallion and return to bushes until the Prince's head and neck partially emerged, and the bell calmed down.

"You?!" Rarity approached the Prince who was smiling at her, in pain. An herbin fell from his head, formed a bush just at his hooves.

He wouldn't have let one of his most fabulous subjects in harm's way the Prince reckoned, but how he knew how to calm the herbins, he was surprised by the question, as if it was obvious, answered the blazing mare had told him all at the hospital. "You two talked about herbins?" Rarity was even more surprised, but Blueblood found it natural, since he had seen one rolled up on her neck, he wanted to know all about it. She gasped, maybe blushed more than she would admit. It all happened because Opal had tried to play with one of the animals, and then the creatures wouldn't let go she dramatized.

"Oh, it's normal" Blueblood observed. "Your high pitch voice was like an alarm bell to them."

Fluttershy outside was watching the herbins leave one by one, stray into the wild. The others were still waiting to see their friend appear, the precious mare going past the door to be met by them. She had "smacked that boor" the tale had revealed, still a bit angered by what he had said, she couldn't help it if her voice was that of a lady. As all giggled Twilight observed Victory striding away, went to her. "See?" She said, there were other ways than violence. But the mare, not listening, kept walking away. Between her teeth, it was said, was the piece of tissue hanging.

* * *

**The end is so abrupt that I added the "piece of tissue" in urgency - when a whole dialog, and a scene at the school were programmed. As another anecdote Opal was the detail I needed to launch the chapter.  
**

**But I mostly want to address your comments. I realized I've been silent on them, if not only because I thought there was nothing to say. Thanks, I suppose, was in order. You don't know it but I've worked on this style for roughly a decade now, and after all those years I've grown an instinctive fear that readers won't like it. So it took me three comments to consider that maybe I did it kind of right. So yeah. Thanks.  
**

**Five chapters from now, I won't need to tell you which episode I prefer.  
**


	26. The law of one

Were all those pages in vain if Victory failed as Victory's tale would end I thought, after so long it had gone wrong or lost itself; but it showed me a lavender mare mane dark in a bright night struggling with the very same thoughts. Was it Celestia's student or her kind youth I didn't know rubbing the paper as she looked around, at the cleaned ground then on the table at a little stone dragon head roughly carved near the wood equine one. She plunged hers in the book with both legs on her hair out of irritation, because she could find nothing else, no escape, because there was nothing else but a stone hearted mare.

Knocks on the door made her blink, leave her work. "Who can be" she wondered to interrupt herself when she took the lamp with her teeth and went to open. The unicorn hadn't expected so many colors flying before her, fringe untamed, her fiery friend asking after a "hey" why her entrance was so dark. Because it was the middle of the night Twilight suggested as she offered to enter, if there was anything the matter and with the lamp buckle in her mouth her words were moans.

"So," Rainbow Dash followed her friend, "I need to know if rainbows are possible at night."

It was a chance that the studious mare had put the lamp back on the table, taken aback for a second by such a question she paused and asked, with a concerned tone, what she had in mind. The fiery pegasus was trying to reproduce her unique move at night, without luck thus far and Fluttershy said it might not be possible and she was sure it was which is why she was there, to make sure. "I'm pretty sure it's not" and the unicorn explained, a rainbow was a mix of rain and sunlight. Since there was no Sun at night, there was no rainbow.

But there were moonbeams Dash replied, leaving her friend mouth agape. Her mind swirled at all she would have to expose to answer that, so many implications that after one or two seconds she cut short and stated: "It's not", to which the pegasus smirked and said, it was so possible, and looking at her friend's face so confident, her body willing to soar, the studious unicorn felt something was amiss.

"Wait, who gave you the idea?" She inquired. "Who told you it was possible?"

"Princess Luna of course! And something tells me she knows how nights work a tiny bit better than you do."

For a good bit of moons already the sky blue pegasus had followed the advice, unconvinced at first but it was so exciting she stressed hopping at the thought, black clouds wild and strong currents to tame, the whole space high and wide all for herself and the thrill, but Twilight cut and asked if the princess was here in Ponyville. "Sure, probably" Dash guessed, the alicorn would come from time to time to meet her and other ponies, of course there were other ponies at which point she observed that the studious mare really needed to emerge from her work and spend more time with her friends.

Looking at her open work the young mare pondered, maybe just a break, she closed the closest book and curiosity in her voice, proposed to go see those nocturne ponies. After they left in the library plunged back in a half obscurity all that remained was a faint tapping of hooves.

Street lamps and lanterns were illuminating the town, as they wandered Twilight's eyes were sparkling of all this activity, colts playing hide and seek past an open restaurant, windows alight when passing by she saw two old ones playing cards, "but why?" She asked in disbelief and her friend asked why what, why so many would stay awake at night, because it was fun the fierce mare answered immediately and flapping her wings:

"Isn't that cool?" She exclaimed joyfully. "We have flowers that only bloom in the dark! And glow chalk of every color! Oh and we even have a fire breather now!"

Zecora on one leg breathed a lengthy flame before turning to her: "A merry night to you Twilight Sparkle. Do you like my show or cloth of hackles?"

The studious mare didn't answer, her head still full of those flower scents and of the little crowd of ponies watching the zebra juggle with burning sticks, she was captivated. "Come on!" Rainbow pulled her out of her dreams, some were saying Luna was at Sweet Apple Acres. They went by the streets and reached the main place where the City Hall was full of music, then past the bridge as homes were more scarce, in a stronger darkness she saw both of them their coats gray, almost engulfed.

As they passed by the Boutique the door opened and Rarity looking down at the wet grass trotted to them, "Twilight!" She greeted them surprised to see her friend with Dash, then admitted, she herself was still uncomfortable with the idea but, "but", she wouldn't say, she did feel like her imagination was "how should I say", lighter at night. Maybe the fatigue, Twilight pointed, maybe the fresher air the gracious mare retorted. Still, she didn't want her younger sister to wander out, "fillies need a lot more sleep than we do after all!" And with a laugh she let them continue to the farm.

By the hills the night was deeper, yet they could still see the path, then the fence and its entrance when a light in the fields afar surprised the unicorn. It was Big Macintosh pulling the plough at the light of candles, because Dash had heard the earth was softer. "But it isn't" Twilight tried as they kept trotting, and she was at a loss.

"Heya Twilight!" Applebloom greeted them at the fence.

She was busy painting the top of poles from the fence with glow paint, not too good thus far but Applejack had said she could join her friends once finished. After a look at the infinite fence Twilight asked if she didn't feel tired, "not at all!" The filly bounced with energy, and it wasn't her first moon. As for her sister she was at the orchard, with that said the young pony returned to painting her tail.

They walked by the barn then past it, the orchard opened like Twilight's eyes, baffled at the sight of so many lights, the entire hill buzzing of fireflies with shades so light yet so bright that it seemed a fantasy. "So pretty" she murmured as Applejack joining them nodded, it was quite the sight. Not just that, apples picked up at night were the tastiest and she hoofed one for the purple mare to try. The fruit was pearling fresh, she took a bite and thought, it was delicious, but it made no sense. There was no rational explanation for things to be better just because of the night she stressed to her friends, troubled, but they shrugged at her concerns. It was, no need to look further.

"Why don't ya ask Luna? She said she was headed for the park, play with the foals and all."

"At her age?" Dash frowned. "Why does she spend time with them?!"

But for their friend the question was different, she asked, if they were really fine with staying awake at night, and when they would sleep: "We've the whole day for that" The fiery pegasus answered, joined by the cowmare in a choir.

"Now you're making even less sense!" The unicorn reacted, confused. "You mean you sleep during the day, and live during the night? But is should be the complete opposite!"

Her two friends looked at her, puzzled themselves, asked why. She couldn't answer, it had always been, and the night was cold and dark and, she pawed, and the day was warm and bright and her voice was weaker. No, she didn't feel especially cold, and she could see quite well she admitted, but still the young mare repeated it should be, ponies should be sleeping at night, she thought. Rainbow Dash rubbed her head, unclear as to why she should stay bored in the day when she could have so much fun. And Applejack coming forth added, why she should let those tastier harvests go to waste, or her brother plough a tougher ground.

"Come on Twilight!" Dash hovered ready to soar, "Have some fun!"

"You two really think it's okay?" The studious mare tempted.

"Trust me sugarcube, it's fine."

Interrupting them came a glowing ghost, the filly told her sister they were a bucket short and it wasn't "glowy" enough anyway. Her hat down on her face the brave mare sighed and said it was nothing, they would deal with it another time. It meant she could go see her friends, the filly jumped and thanked galloping away, they all watched her glowing silhouette slowly faint in the dark. That's when Twilight noticed, her friend was calm, and she decided she was the one unreasonable, that ponies could stay awake if they wanted. Plus, she added with a malicious smile, who knew? Maybe nightly rainbows were just extremely rare.

Leaving the straw mane bound by her chores both mares took the path again back to Ponyville, talking to each other as they passed along the trees and bushes, and it was as if all wasn't plunged in darkness, with shadows sharp and deep holes of black around them. All was calm and quiet, the air was fresh, she thought it was a beautiful night.

"You know" Dash thought aloud, "it had been a while since we spent time together. I mean, with the dragons and princes and all." And thoughtful, "just for that, the night feels even nicer."

"You're right!" Twilight rejoiced. "I should write a letter about it, I haven't done one in a while…"

A clamor halted them, on the path they could barely see the town lights and for a second they thought, it couldn't be part of the festivities. Something was happening, both rushed down towards the houses, waiting for the clamor to repeat and guide them but it seemed silent, even more than before, as they went past a few doors ponies were out like them wondering what was going on. They pressed up towards the bridge where the princess of the night was standing, her wings open wide and strong, defying a pony at the other end of the stream. It was the same place Twilight thought, the same place and she felt her chest hurting, thought it was for running so much.

On the other side was Victory, the blazing mare fulminating under the candle lights as she was speaking, slowly, growling at the princess. She stopped and stepped back when Twilight and Rainbow reached Luna, at her sides, and asked what was going on. Luna's voice, soft and fresh, promised it was nothing, just a discussion as she closed her wings, and she would head to the park. She had forced those last words, for the mare facing her to hear them, and she paced forward. Victory stepped back more and, infuriated, let the tall alicorn pace past her.


	27. Close your eyes

On the darker tone of the bright night Twilight observed dismayed the two ponies stray, by the park the princess as tall as light while going her own way the other mare dragged her heavy hooves on the stone, by the street, and despite the lights she was the one seeming engulfed by darkness. It was her low head, her slow pace or the cold feeling emanating from her that gave this impression, the young unicorn knew, yet the blazing coat was deeper, as if dry. All around ponies were joyous, playing or trotting only cut when the mare would pass by to return to their happiness just after that.

"She is going to ruin everything!" Her fiery friend complained.

The two of them still on the bridge had the same feeling, the same thought betrayed in their eyes the fear to see another dispute, another fight. Rainbow Dash comforted the student, to let her friends deal with it this time and by her friends she meant herself. Already her wings deployed the pegasus tightened ready to fly but got stopped, her friend worried calming her, those things asked for diplomacy. Not to worry she replied before taking off in a dash, she could be very diplomatic.

In a second Dash was by the mare's side, landed to walk with her and got taken by surprise when the slow pace of Victory was enough to distance her. She trotted back to her height and: "Enjoying the night?" Her sarcasm got a grunt and not much else, she was being ignored. The young mare took the huff, pressed on to outpace those heavy hooves and add, she didn't need to be rude, it was just a discussion.

Victory turned her dull look to the pegasus, something hidden at the sight of those wings, she answered, she wanted to be alone, said it in a far harsher tone. "Not until I'm certain" the fierce mare answered, cutting her path, "that you won't hurt anypony!"

"Then stop hir." She meant, but she meant the princess.

"Yeah, sure. I have a better idea." The pegasus brushed her mane wildly in the night. It was to let ponies have fun for once, to stop harassing them and bullying them for no reason, she knew her reputation, she had seen her. When the mare tried to bypass her she get in front again, continued, she was fed up with her attitude.

At her turn the blazing mare replied, her hair suddenly fuming, ponies played the day and slept at night, it was Celestia's law and all she needed to know. "There you go gain with your self-written laws!" Rainbow Dash replied and their teeth both gritted at each other she followed, the mare was looking for excuses to be mean, she didn't want to be friendly if she even knew what that word meant the pegasus scolded. And called her a puttyhead, at which the mare replied instantly with a "hore".

"Yow may betray myn queene bot I won't. I will give up anything but that." And, looking away, the mare resumed her slow pace, lowered her head almost to the ground. "Your friend Twilight Sparkle will teach me friendship. Give her time."

Following her just behind Rainbow Dash groaned: "You can't learn friendship in books!"

"Do you mean Twilight lied?" Victory answered in a low, heavy tone.

Of course she didn't mean that, her rainbow mane floated as she pressed, coat sky blue in the lights of the main square. But every way she formulated it, it was what she had said, to have friends a pony had to be friendly and Victory wasn't. The blazing mare insisted, her voice still as heavy, still walking slow on the dirt and paved stones, if her queen had lied to her, if it was what the pegasus was implying. "No!" Rainbow Dash got angry at this deaf talk to be interrupted, their walk halted:

"Myn queene promised me friendship, or the land. If your friend fails I will be queen. Tell me, Rainbow Dash, did myn queene lie."

Absurd, told the pegasus' expression, it was a delusion at best but the mare cut her again, it was the very words of Celestie, there was a written pledge and if the young mare couldn't trust all of that she could still ask her princess of darkness. "Well she may have" Dash brushed away the idea, she herself didn't pledge anything and she would never let such a thing happen, nor would she allow the blazing mare to ruin those nights.

"Enough." Victory simply said. "Go and enjoy your tresun." And she kept pacing along the square.

"What is wrong with that mare!" Rainbow growled out of exasperation.

She was watching the blazing coat merge with the crowd, slowly pace away and soon the sounds of festivities, of the hall and of the place calmed her. The sky blue pegasus suddenly noticed how her legs were trembling, as her wings all tense, and she shook thinking it had to be the cold air somehow.

High up was the black sky with its tiny lights of stars, she ran her eyes along clouds and felt what little breeze there was. Raised on her two legs the pegasus hesitated, put all four back on the ground and, a bit frustrated, looked around for familiar faces. A few from the weather team caught her eyes, on the stair of the City Hall a pony swaying on her legs and then, she realized, at the many lights everywhere how many were awake. She smiled, all the better, the proud mare went by the streets rediscovering them under the subtle beauty of the night.

By an alley wide with the houses alive and festive she suddenly noticed, among the bushes a bushy pink tail she went to pull out and meet her friend, "hey Pinkie!" and ask what she was doing. Playing hide and seek the pony smiled, muzzle cute, suddenly noticed how her friend wasn't roaming the sky. She didn't feel like it, "it's that stupid mare" Dash complained and explained what had happened.

"I know she will spoil all the fun. I just know it."

Pinkie had plunged in deep thoughts, emerged all happy: "This is perfect!" Perfect her friend replied, skeptic but the joyful mare mane untamed showed her the wide sky and said, with her help both of them would ensure that the night would remain calm, not only that, but also that Victory would enjoy it with them. She was already planning ahead, way ahead which meant when her plan would have succeeded what games they could play together, noticed her calm friend and, calmed too, the cozy mare simply said : "Fireworks!" Lots, lots, lots of fireworks as she began to explain.

The sky was plain, little lights scarce as she ventured away from the lamps and voices. This part of Ponyville seemed almost asleep, few lights discreet at the windows revealing a quiet activity. She passed by blind and deaf until the great tree appeared.

So it was that the home of Celestia's student was the darkest of town, the tree plunged in obscurity with its foliage massive and the shadows sharp. The mare halted, on the grass, watching the library silent, not a dim glimmer, not a spark, it was a place isolated where even the sounds festive fainted. And in the dark her two dull eyes, with wide pupils like gems polished, were the sole sign of life. She sit, her coat darkened in the obscurity, to look some more at the trunk, or at the windows, or at nothing. A thrill forced her to get up, pace to the door to open it then but silently close it behind her.

Inside all was dark, pitch black after the so many lights of town. It took her some more seconds to see the curves of the table, of the shelves, then the lines of the stair. There were the books Twilight Sparkle had been studying, that the unicorn had left behind. Approaching them the mare looked back at the door, then touched the cover. She opened one to see the pages grey in the night, and their mysteries. Leaving at that Victory paced silently to the stair, up to the room where she could barely hear the breathe of the baby dragon. Spike rolled in his basket hadn't moved an inch, his blanket still pulled away.

Before going up the mare stood some more around the desk, looking in the obscurity at all the volumes, the pens, the ink and then, at the scrolls. There were many scrolls as if poured on it, some on the ground, so many of them. Her look on them, the mare did nothing, slowly paced away. She hadn't noticed the open envelope.

It wasn't a snore, yet as she reached up to the beds Victory felt it, the purple dragon slightly agitated. She froze, tapped but carefully her toes on the wood and approached. The assistant did move some more and she saw his fangs holding the wicker. Then she looked at the blanket, leaving part of his body uncovered. She stood there looking at that, inexpressive, soon to leave and past the beds, opened the window to breathe. Outside the lights were visible, the town awake and suddenly, in the sky the brief passage of a pegasus.

"Myn Queene" she whispered, about to say more when a groan from the dragon stopped her. Victory only look some more at the sky, after that, closed and went to her bed, pulled her own blanket down on the wooden floor to curl up on it. She raised her head, searched with her muzzle the piece of tissue and pulled it too. She then pressed the tissue on her chest, with her two hooves, the tissue rent and stomped, blazing with three yellow diamonds. The room was quiet and silent, was all but quiet and silent.

Some noise prevented her slumber. Without moving she heard, the door closing, steps on the ground floor and the voice of the student. A candle breached through the darkness, threw its light among the room. Her eyes closed the mare heard the unicorn pace, the tiny sound of copper on the desk, a sigh at the sight of all the scrolls. "What am I going to do" Twilight said, not too loud, before joining the beds.

There she stopped and Victory listened, entirely quiet. "Oh, Spike" the unicorn was moved. "At least you have not to worry." She heard her put the blanket back on the dragon.

"Good night, Victory" She heard the student whisper to her.

After that some more steps, noises from Twilight's bed and, nothing, for time and time nothing more. Victory waited for slumber to come and her forelegs were slightly moving, rubbing the tissue. She thought all was quiet, yet couldn't fall asleep. Suddenly from nowhere, as if from her own dream, she heard the lavender unicorn, mane dark with a lighter streak, say a few more words exhausted. "Her coat looked darker" she said, before the sand of sleep took their last thoughts away.


	28. Last chance

A mess of hair resisted the brush, a tedious mane after a tedious night that the student only wanted to forget. There was no mirror, only the shiny glow of her magic brushing roughly the last remnants of memory away. Outside was a beautiful day only tempered by the shades of clouds in the sky, quiet, and the windows had let beams warm the floor the whole morning. She pulled on a last lock, feeling somewhat weak, then returned to her task of supervising Spike as her dragon assistant was putting the third book on the blazing mare's head.

What it was meant to do, the unicorn a bit sleepy answered honestly that she had no idea, but it couldn't hurt to try and to convince her student the student added, it was still part of teaching friendship. "Attitude" she guessed as the mare began to walk in the room, in circles, the books balanced on her head. Spike had made it back to Twilight, watched with her the pony exercise and their eyes followed together, slowly, that pace precise on the point of four toes, before the baby dragon decided himself:

"Uh Twilight, do you have a moment?" His eyes on her while her eyes kept following, she sure did. "It's about-" the dragon stopped when the blazing mare passed, once past them: "I must tell you-" he muted at the rhythmic steps and Twilight sighed.

They would go downstairs, she asked Victory to excuse them but her focused on her books barely paid attention. Once down both could still hear the nervous strides over their heads, somewhat fainted. So the dragon began, and embarrassed, proposed that maybe the young unicorn couldn't do it. He meant, teaching Victory some friendship. "Of course I can!" Twilight rebelled, it was just harder than expected and slowly she doubted herself. Her assistant panicked, thinking more about an illness or a curse. "A curse?" She doubted, and didn't immediately reject it. They both, for a few seconds, listened to the steps that kept and kept going.

"Well then nothing would change!" She reaffirmed. "We would only have to look for a cure."

Spike tried after her: "What if there are none?" as she turned.

She was certain there was, or at least she would keep trying. He watched her go to the entrance, tell him to keep Victory practicing while she was away. Where she was going, she didn't know either, to Rarity she guessed. She closed the door behind her and closed her eyes, her head still dizzy. At the tree's side was the window of her room, so familiar and yet she didn't want to immediately go back there. Something that she didn't like, maybe the cold mare, the young one couldn't tell. "A curse?" She wondered and as she did, the tale would reveal, she had almost given up. But she quickly turned back and trotted away, her tail bouncing by the town.

Ponyville was quiet, silent in its emptiness. All the doors were closed, curtains pulled everywhere and the mare watching around her struggled to see more than some wind in the leaves of trees. Her own hooves were echoing on the facades.

Only when she reached the restaurant did she realize it fully, no table-cloth but the stools put upside down. She approached, slowly, up to the restaurant itself to try the door locked, after which her eyes fell on the opening hours, from dusk to dawn. From dusk to dawn, she read aloud, the letters deep blue on grey seemed to play foul with her sight. The young mare tried the door again, almost forced before leaving it behind. She didn't even know why, in the warm day, she would feel such a cold chill on her back.

Some steps further, all in her thoughts when she emerged Twilight Sparkle discovered the rows of street lamps aligned on both sides, walked along those chains of lights waiting to brighten under the night. "They can't be serious" she couldn't help but mutter as she passed, and near the doors or among bushes she could see more and more lanterns, sparks from their glass everywhere. At one point the rows of lamps ended as one was still being put in place and the lavender pony slowed almost to a halt looking at this work abandoned in the plain day. A sudden idea screamed in her head and she looked up in the air, at the mess of clouds yawning over the houses.

The main square was empty. "But." She was frozen, she sat agape. "But!" It was market day, not a stall, not a banner or even a basket but pickets left from the night, with their grapes of paper lamps hanging. It was Ponyville before her, before the young pony the City Hall stood shut, door closed as well and she felt, empty.

She galloped through the empty place, her look spinning on all sides and she wouldn't stop, past the bridge, by the tents Ponyville was equally silent. There was the Carousel Boutique and why she hoped, she couldn't tell, Twilight approached calming down to knock on the door of her friend. She waited. She waited then knocked again, then tried to look around and by the huge windows, the boutique in slight shadows, all tidied for the day. Her leg was rubbing the glass, a nervous motion, she paced back and kept turning up to her friend's window. "Rarity!" She called, then louder: "Rarity!" Her hoof stomped on the ground, on the grass, making no sound. She yelled her name again, as loud as she could.

Her eye caught a little rock. The second that followed some ruckus preceded the window opening and the white muzzle of Rarity emerging, her gracious silhouette, her curly mane and her beauty mask. "Who is it" she saw the purple unicorn, "Twilight? Has something despicably awful happened, Darling?"

"Yes!" The student answered, irritated. "The whole town is asleep!"

Her friend reacted horrified, before realizing what her friend had said and looked at her, irritated at her turn. She had been woken up for that, and she didn't even know what that was Rarity groaned, she told Twilight to come back another time. "But it's exactly my point!" The studious mare treaded her exasperation. It was the middle of the day, all was closed, she didn't know how to say it more clearly. Rarity was too tired to think about it, closed the window as her friend kept yelling: "It's the middle of the day! The day!"

And she repeated for herself, in a whisper, "the day". She shivered, turned back towards the bridge, towards nowhere, her head full of answers with no question to ask. How tired Twilight Sparkle was she wasn't sure, only felt her eyes heavy, as if the Sun was too bright. Again and again it came to mind, to write to the Princess and each time her head would shake, because, maybe, she wouldn't know what to write. Somehow the studious mare kept looking around, hoping for some pony to show himself, a presence, someone like her still awake. Her eyes caught only a lengthy slash among the clouds, a fiery trail in the sky.

Night had fallen, she still hadn't come back. Spike chose this excuse to leave the board game and imagine what could have happened.

The glass of dices still between her hooves Victory looked at the assistant panicking, her own eyes inexpressive, she got up. The dices fell on the board, making her push her pawn to the edge and silently walk away. The dragon, paws on his fins watched her go to her bed, pull the black cape and in a single strike attach it clapping sharp on her back. "Go to bed" her tone had hardened, made him simply nod and follow her until she left.

It was a deep night and yet, one of the most beautiful there was, one of the most joyous. From the great tree she could hear the whole town full of agitation, lamps everywhere offering a veil of indivisible light. She couldn't make a step when the sky blue pegasus, coat dark in the darkness, plunged at her height:

"Eh, Victory!" With some happiness that wasn't played, Rainbow Dash landed quietly. "Sorry for last night, you know how it is…" She waited for a reaction, got none. "Anyway" the mare followed, "I was about to go to Fluttershy. You know. Lone cottage, away from town?" Only two silent eyes answered. "So, want to come with me?"

On instinct the blazing mare had begun to raise her leg, as if to strike, stopped short and put it down. She looked away, past the pegasus to see the town full of lights, back to the mare smiling at her. She gritted her teeth, but slowly, but forced herself to let it go and her own face inexpressive, answered a simple: "Yes." Yes Dash triumphed, leg high then fluttering her wings a little, bumped the mare's shoulder and showed her the way. This smile, this happiness, Victory looked away following her at her pace and her heavy hooves on the grass would let no trace but a shade in the night.

They went by the streets, so many lights and ponies that the town seemed more alive than ever, and constantly festive as stallions would hang more firefly nests on the edge of roofs. The colors of coats and dresses were dazzling, scents of perfumes floating, she could guess dances afar. Most were going their direction, towards the center of town and the City Hall where a large crowd gathered. Dash suddenly froze and, turning, proposed to take a shortcut. Sure, there were shortcuts faster than a straight line, she was a pegasus, she knew those things. Victory looked at her only, and after a couple seconds, nodded.

Both went by the alleys, all along hearing the many voices and conversations from the square but hidden by houses, only briefly how many there were. The blazing mare wouldn't turn her eyes, fixed on the blue pegasus and her wings shut, the rainbow tail waving. Both of their paces was nervous, one fast, the other slow. Two mares crossed the path of the two mares and stopped to discuss their dresses, the glowing pearls, the tiny bells. One mentioned the name of the princess and Victory stopped, as did Dash. "Come on!" She pressed and saw Victory eyes closed, trembling. But she did, paced forwards to let the two other mares behind and the fiery pegasus sighed in relief.

Already they were distancing from the square, almost by the park to reach another bridge and back to the path, they could almost guess after many houses the first forms of the plain full of darkness.

When she heard her voice.

Victory stopped and this time Dash wondered why, turned and saw those two eyes on her, the mouth slightly opened and she knew, at that, that the blazing mare wouldn't make one more step. "What now?" She impatiently asked. Then she heard it, giving hear, back there the crowd's rumor had lowered to let a young voice talk alone, distressed. It was Twilight, one voice in the night about to faint.


	29. How we wished

Crowds of ponies pressed towards the throne set and their glorious princess. A mane ethereal floated wild, full of stars, lightened the black coat of Luna. She could see her so many subjects, so many faces enlightened, so many smiles and among them the young student, Twilight Sparkle, begging her to stop. Doubt had passed, she asked the ponies, weren't they happy and they cheered and pawed passionately. And she asked the unicorn, wasn't she happy for her princess, and the young mare's eyes plunged. Her dark lavender bristle contrasted with the shining armor, with the magnificent crown.

None of them had heard her come, her heavy steps, when the crowd began to open in front of the angry mare Pinkie Pie turned and greeted Victory, happy to see her join them, then suddenly gasped and panicked, "you shouldn't be here! I shouldn't be here!" She exclaimed before running to find her sky blue friend.

The crowd opened, slashed fast before her and her teeth clenched, before those two dull eyes. She stopped at Twilight's side, one step behind and raised her head. In the night she was a blazing mare, all lights fulminating on her coat and her mane a trailing flame warm to white. She was facing the princess and before the princess, at her left the mayor, the three fillies at her right with Applebloom looking at her, all looking at her, the crowds had silenced.

"Telle me to fyghte." Victory growled for Twilight. The student refused: "Telle me!" She insisted, as if spitting, "I begge of yow."

"Fight?" Luna's voice chilled. "What is my crime?"

"Swie!" Her voice echoed through the night, and to Twilight she muttered words so faint that the young one couldn't hear them. The alicorn sit on her throne of silver kept on, she had done nothing wrong, but show ponies the marvels of her nights. Celestia herself had admitted that her subjects were free. And she added, her voice cold, it was Victory the criminal, the one that had defied her sister, waged war and who claimed the throne. "Swie!" The blazing mare trembled, a brazier on the student's side when, in an hesitant step, the young mare gave way. Twilight Sparkle had stepped aside, expressing fear and confusion, and it was as if she had said yes.

Luna rose, shocked. "You will let her?!" They were too far, and too late, for her to hear the unicorn ask for forgiveness, the emotion troubling her eyes. Victory had stepped forward, immediately the lunar guards advanced, two to block her path as the mayor was taking the fillies away. The mare stiffened, struck her two toes on the ground.

"Voyde! Yow warde the blak mere!" She ordered as the two guards readied.

Rumors around them broke the silence as they stood, the crowd feeling it about to break, trying to react. Victory moved first, charged and the first guard rose on his two back legs, the two fore put together as a shield. She yelled, he screamed, the war pony hit with her toe sharp but in vain, on her side the second guard attacked, impacted head first on her flank. She hit the ground but struggling, her hooves skidded to take ground and keep her up facing the two armored ponies, without a breath, she leaped at them.

Her attack had been swift and fast, twice she struck the closest guard but each time parried, again his companion attacked from the side and forced her to jump in escape, step back and huff, her mane a trail furious against the two dark helmets. Each time and as they pressed the crowd had walked back bit by bit, left more space where they strode and charged, leaving no opening and yet, in the agitation, somehow it had shifted. Victory dodged and smashed with her two toes the two hooves yielding, felt it the guard unbalanced, the guard felt it too and jumped to knock her down. His hoof beat the barrel, hers touched the chest but the metal resisted. They saw the more roll and get up, ready to charge when the second guard surprised her and on the impact both in a struggle hit the dirt.

The guard aimed for her head, hit and the toe plain smashed against the bristle, shook the bone and let a wound sweat. She had aimed for his neck, hit and her toe sharp pierced at the armor's junction, all heard a lengthy neighing like a rattle. "Enough" Luna wanted to yell but the word fainted in her throat.

All saw the guard collapse on the side, eyes wide and chocked, they saw his legs spasm while the blazing mare was getting up, stepped over the stallion and her toes got stained.

His companion enraged readied as the crowd wavered, "enough!" The princess imposed her voice. "I won't let you deir poneies enymor!" She walked down the throne, tall and slim in an armor royal. Her head was naked, she turned and watched Applejack bring the helmet to her. Victory had stepped forward, leaving the wounded to the care of the crowd. She only looked at Twilight, the unicorn fearful facing the inexpressive eyes.

"Thou can still stop this madness" Luna's voice dominated the square, loud and dreaded. "If you really care for my sister, listen to her, stop this fight. We don't need to be enemies."

"Thy wordes mene nothyng blak plague."

Luna closed her eyes at that title, frustrated, she hid her passion and put on the helmet. When her eyes opened they were wild: "So be it!" Her voice stormed over the square. "Have at thee!"

She opened wide her wings, soared in a majestic leap to face the warmare. With others the unicorn felt it, for a moment troubled by the wounded, as the air became tense, she turned to the fight where light dimmed. A sudden bolt blasted, another and at the third it struck the blazing mare, but did nothing. "How" the alicorn muttered, before her and down Victory was lowering her leg, realizing she was unharmed and the wound at her head was undistinguishable, lost in the furor of her coat. Thunder roamed, blinded the crowd but in vain, she began to walk under the strikes, feeling nothing.

And she suddenly galloped, reached the throne and in two leaps the top of the chair, the princess realized she was at range, too late to escape, the mare jumped to catch her. At the last instant Luna disappeared, turned into a glowing dust which trailed downward to reform and the princess, in her armor, fluttered her wings, ready to take off, but did no such thing and began to pace as the blazing mare paced, both of them in a circle, faster and faster, trotted before meeting at the center.

The shock savage threw both mares apart, they galloped in circle then charged and in the impact their hooves met, she aimed at the shoulder, her for the ear, there was a shriek and Luna, wounded, flapped her wings to take some distance. A horrible hissing deepened her wrath, horn glowing strong in the night she raised vaporous chains from the soil to restrain her foe, to see them broken before even touching her. "How can you do that?" She exclaimed, dodged the charge and both circled in their furious galloping, head down and so fast they were skimming the crowd. In a second both met to be pushed apart and refusing to give an inch both furiously assaulted, in their screams, her two hooves hit the princess' helmet.

She had hit strong and hard, banging on the metal like a hammer in the forges, let sparks fly but luck was on Luna's side and the strike, deviated, couldn't pierce. Her flank was exposed, the alicorn plunged her leg and hit the ribs. The speed alone made each hit devastating, separated by their flight they turned to face each other as Victory put an elbow on the ground, sweating. One of her eyes was blinded by the strains, her side equally weakened the mare tried stood back up, faced her enemy. It seemed as if the princess was unharmed, still a gem in the many lights of the square. After a second the war pony began to pace, and Luna following her paced as well, both of them beginning to trot.

Every pony in the crowd was following it, stiff, their feelings a mix as furious as the fight itself. Twilight among them couldn't tell which one she wanted to see win. A move on the roofs distracted her, Rainbow Dash, she gasped but the two mares colliding took her attention away.

"Why do you even fight!" Luna screamed as they met, her toe carving a scar on Victory's chest and she felt a burn on her thigh, limped some before finding back her balance. Their speed had been cut off, not a meter from each other they turn and jumped. But the princess was taller, and helped by her wings, dominated the strike, pushed her opponent back on the ground. "Even if you win!" She hit the mare with both hooves, straight down but without the speed her hit was weak and feeble, and Twilight saw it, the unwillingness to harm others. In the end, the princess wasn't a fighter.

"Even if you win…"

She wanted to strike again, to be met by Victory's toe which pierced the metal, hit the bone on her temple as the blazing mare trailed in the air, from the ground, and threw both of them rolling in rage. She hit the snout, her the cheek leaving a sweat of life burning, the mare grunted her neck smashed on the dirt then struck with her back leg, almost broke the bone. In the melee the strong mare knocked over her fiend, put one leg on the princess leg and hit the head with one heavy hit. They heard a shriek and the helmet rolled, leaving Luna's face free as her eyes panicked. She tried to escape, wanted to turn into a trail of nightly dust but her magic failed. The hoof raised and hit again, making her yelp of pain.

A third time the hoof raised, struck down and the whole body shaken trembled, yet only a rattle escaped. When their eyes met, the two dull pupils like gems discovered two wild eyes ready to fight to the end.

She raised her hoof, slowly in the air, let it hang for a second, then hit and the ground was sticky near the head. Victory could see her own look in the look of the princess, her eyes squinted, teeth clenched and Luna said, she wouldn't give up, she wouldn't. There were ponies yelling around her, that she could barely hear. The blazing mare raised her hoof and the two wild eyes followed it, ready to close for the strike when they saw past it, in the distance far high, she gasped: "My… night." The sky was pitch black, only the moon pale and wan, not even one star. Her expression broke as did her will, and the hoof raised stood immobile.


	30. Feeling nothing

A trail slashed the sky asunder, at its top exploded and a burst of colors thundered, then another, then another. Their fuses burnt by salvoes of powder ignited the rockets who soared, deflagrated in new shapes of flames. She slowly lowered her leg, turned to watch and fascinated, as the crowd around them had calmed to wonder what was happening, the mare blazing under those furious lights stepped away from Luna, walked eyes high trying to catch those sparks, and she stopped, and the mare tried to stand up on her two but could barely raise the forelegs, in tiny attempts. It was a wall of fire of blue, of yellow, and of low white and the flares fainting in their trails among new vivid ones shined in so many shades.

She had let her grasp on the princess go, already the doctor had approached with his nurse and with them the guard stern, his armor blunt and dark. At her turn Twilight trotted towards them, worried, to be stopped by a panicked pegasus, her fiery friend saying, they had done as fast as they could, on the roofs Pinkie still firing batteries of those fireworks. Their voices were weak by the barrage of fire in the air, in the deflagrations beating the blue pegasus put her two hooves on her friend: "Tell me I wasn't too late!"

The young student didn't think, smiling tenderly she said, just on time, and then she trotted past to join the princess.

Luna was lying on this ground sticky and wet. As the doctor bandaged she kept muttering, devastated, her voice too weak to mean anything. She saw the young unicorn and the young unicorn saw her, the mane soft and plain disheveled on the muddy soil behind her soft neck in a coat tender blue. "You" the princess muttered as her slim leg tried to reach Twilight and the young mare, suddenly, began to cry. She was so sorry, desperate for all that happened and feeling so bad, yet the princess was watching her horn, on her horn the glow of magic like a spark in the lights, a familiar one.

"It was you, Twilight Sparkle." The princess said under the roars of fireworks. "All this time…"

"Please, princess, I'll do anything! I didn't want-"

The royal hoof touched her cheek, and silently, she felt at that cold contact, at the faint smile how grateful Luna was. Of what, she wouldn't say, the doctor squeezed her belly and she smirked, then wondered, why the student had let Victory pass. If really the alicorn had been so wrong, and her head fell on the side. But she had done nothing wrong, the young mare cried. Twilight admitted, she had been so scared. All around the crowd had approaching, pressing to know if their princess was safe, and she could hear their words shocked, their sadness. The whole town grieving for her.

Her eyes blinked, she found some strength and turning to raise, helped by her guard she got up. She was firm, yet her wings would hang down feathers touching the soil. At her motion the cuirass had fallen, leaving her chest free. The storm of flares was still thundering, turning the sky ablaze, she looked at the strong mare a few steps away looking at all those lights.

"You won, Victory." Luna's cold voice addressed her. "The night is yours." Victory didn't answer, still trying to catch those flames. "We hope you are happy."

And the princess strode away, her side on the guard's side as the crowd watched them depart, Rarity's voice shrieked in drama. It made Twilight snap, look around and see the mayor at the throne, her look worried, and then her friends and Applejack holding her little sister close. Near the student Rainbow Dash was trampling, unable to accept such a result, the night lost with all this pain, most of all to see that forceful mare standing alone under the few last deflagrations, as it calmed, victorious. The pegasus paced towards her, angry but her studious friend stopped her, it was useless, "I won't let her get away with this!" Dash rebelled.

"She ruined our joy, she crushed our dreams!" And to the mare, "you hear me? You hurt everypony!"

More came to her mind, her wings fluttering out of temper when she felt pressed, her shy friend hugging her, begging her to stop. The pink smooth mane was trembling on her neck and she felt, how her friend, her friends were affected.

Just as suddenly Rainbow Dash grunted, detached and galloped after the princess. "Wait!" A filly yelped and the three ran after her, followed by their sisters, by the mayor, by dozens of ponies. Fluttershy gave a last pleading look to Twilight before going too, as others would stray, she watched them leave and remained. Only one or two bursts were left over the square darkened, the lamps glowing in heavy shadows. Victory had paused, then sit and unmoving, her mane a trail furious in the night, would keep her head high looking at the infinite deep of the sky. Her head was turned towards Canterlot.

Twilight approached, turning to face her she saw tears on her eyes, thought, she had a heart after all, then as she kept pacing the shadows went away and she saw the two dim, inexpressive eyes. She saw the wound on her head stream and the strains drip on her eye, and her tears were dark. Twilight gasped, terrorized, the eye open on which those wet scars were flowing like on glass. Victory seemed not to notice, her mouth slightly open on a word unfinished, she wouldn't even care for the student. She approached and trying to grab her hoofkerchief her magic failed. The young unicorn tried, felt her horn like numb and shivered when the mare's eyes fell on her.

"War is myn Queene?" Victory whispered. "Twylyghte war is sche?"

But the unicorn wouldn't answer, her fringe cut sharp so close from the mare she stretched her leg, approached her hoof of that eye wide open, on which the pain was running. She feared to touch it, saw the instinctive motion of closing the lid, faint, the eye squinted yet she touched it, felt it cold and glassy. Her own chest hurt, of a horrible feeling.

The student suddenly said: "You feel nothing." And louder: "You feel nothing!" And she couldn't help but pace back, her horn so numb, so weak, her legs trembling. The mare raised a leg towards her, the hoof stained, making the student pace back more. And in a furious move the leg struck the ground, blasting it:

"To Tartaros with yow! With yow al!" She raised and defiant, growled at the unicorn who scared, turned back and fled.

"Princess, wait!"

At the edge of town where the path would lose themselves afar the night was quiet, some few stars scarce on the sky to guard the silence. Luna turned, saw the crowd approach, at their head the fiery mare. Her guard blocked their path, made them stop at a dozen steps. Rainbow Dash fluttered, asked the princess not to leave. They didn't want her to leave, the little crowd behind her agreeing, added their voices for her to stay. And the three fillies hopping from the crowd went past the guard to grab her legs.

Before them the alicorn, still magnificent in her craft, thanked them, yet declined. Not because of violence she answered, but sighed. It was her dream, her sole wish to share her nights, and now that she could, she had seen the night vanish. The young Dash shook her head, of course not, the night was still there. And she would add a night rainbow to it, but Luna's voice seemed like crystal, rainbows at night were a myth, like an unreachable dream, none had appeared for generations. "You mean…" the pegasus asked in disbelief, if it was impossible and the princess, in her soft voice: just very unlikely.

She was about to lecture them about dreams when the thought made her giggle, and to see her smile reassured the little ponies. After a few more words they returned to their homes, to their sleep, the fillies still to her legs were picked one by one by their sisters, until Scootaloo remained and Dash, after a look, went to pick her, carry her away before letting the filly go.

"Princess Luna" the pegasus added as she herself was about to depart.

"Princess Luna" she repeated, "is it true? That Victory fought Celestia? That she wants her throne? I mean, I know it's true 'cause you said it but, what I want to ask is… she can't, right? She has no right to claim Equestria?"

The alicorn stood silent, then shook her head. She said, in a cold voice, that the contract existed, she had read it herself, and she quickly added the contract was void. It was old, just a piece of paper, never would she or her sister endanger all of Equestria because of it. That made Dash grin and nod, proud, of course they wouldn't, yet she asked, why was the contract made in the first place. "I don't know" Luna admitted, she hadn't even asked her sister about it. "Why does it matter?" And the pegasus, looking away, guessed that it didn't. It was just a grumpy, surly mare she said in a doubtful voice. In that street, when Victory was following her… She was dangerous, Luna scolded, a dangerous mare that the pegasus needed to keep an eye on, the princess counted on her and her friends.

When the night engulfed the last lines of the alicorn, watching where she had gone Rainbow Dash tried to convince herself, it was a dangerous mare and she couldn't understand why it sounded so weak.

She flew away, with no will to sleep she tempted the low sky feeling the wind on her bristle, feeling the humidity, the harsh weather. Nights were dark and cold after all, and solitary. She looked at the many lights of town, fainting each after the other as ponies went to sleep. And she saw the town square still partly illuminated, noticed Twilight and with her the blazing war pony. Victory was lain down, eyes closed and her friend, sit and yawning, was lulling the trailing mane. Rainbow Dash plunged and stopped at their eight, hovering, asked what they were doing.

"Ah, Rainbow Dash!" The studious mare thanked her. "Can you help me carry her to the library?"

She was serious, still shocked by all that happened and yet the tale went on to say, for the first time since days Dash felt that Twilight was herself. Her genuine smile, the sparks in her eyes and this calm voice, the pegasus nodded. She too, the tale would add, could see now and again the mare's face, when the eyes were closed, so helpless.

* * *

**And the story reached a thousand views...**

**What you just read was the very first fanfic' I wanted to write for MLP, some eleven months ago. I noticed Dash had been missing so I made this episode hers too, and I regret nothing. This is, all things considered, probably as much as I can deliver. The element of magic. Plain and simple.  
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**Episode seven will conclude the first part, then the second will not take us to Tartarus. Fun fact is, at the early stage of elaboration for this fic' I wanted to make slices of life. And now I find myself with a work more ambitious than EPW... One day someone will have to explain to me why it was worth it.  
**


	31. No surrender

A whole page of text was missing, forcing me to search for another version of Victory's tale so frail and I realized, comparing them, how abruptly they could end. This one had dices roaring in the wooden goblet, rebounding on the wood table and in the morning lengthening, gave him two one for a six. "Well done!" Twilight applauded as the baby dragon kept studying the board with its triangles and tiny pieces before crossing his arms, it was definitively less fun than hopscotch. The library was all quiet, she sighed and nodded, pushed the board away near both sculpted heads.

She got up looking around and at the stair running round over the shelves, looked at the door of her room shut then searched for another occupation and thought, dictionaries were fun to read. To Spike's relief the mare was caught by the bright sunbeams filtering, a perfect occasion to go out and play by the river she said aloud, to go find her friends.

"Great idea! But uh" Her assistant tried to remember, "Wasn't the goal to stay here and wait for you know who to wake up?"

Her coat was a brazier under the sunlight, her mane a trail partly hidden by the blanket. She had turned her head towards the window open where the day was visible, that and the little chirps of birds. Her eyes were closed, muzzle in the pillow clutched tight. At the creaking of wood, at the creasing of the bed and more her ears moved but slightly, like her legs, in tiny spasms. She heard them slowly open the door, come to her but in soft steps and just as softly the student called her name, poked her back a little. She wouldn't react, didn't listen to the student's voice and as they left, heard those hooves and paws tapping the floor, the little dragon pressed to get some time outside.

But he had to stay here the studious mare replied, one of them had to watch over their guest. "Wait, Twilight!" Spike struggled in the middle of the stair, going after her, what if the mare woke up, what if she was angry, what if she ate him? He cut Twilight's path, his mellow green fins wavering, but she rubbed his head and giggled, she had confidence in him. The moment the mare reached the entrance he rushed:

"I read the letter!" Then braced for a blame that came, Twilight pacing back to him, he took his chance: "She is ill, Twilight!" The letter said so, said she would do everything, even harm ponies for a cure "but there is no cure" the letter added in one short, sharp sentence.

The young unicorn didn't want to listen anymore, still vexed that he had read a private message she repeated that their guest would eat nopony. She saw him tremble, hugged him and added, she would never let anyone harm him. Her purple coat was soft for the purple scales, he calmed and groaned an apology, somewhat. Spike promised to be brave, watched anxiously as she left and, with the door closed, rubbed his arm. The whole library felt colder suddenly, of this presence upstairs. He turned and saw the room open, and the blazing mare silently walk down the steps.

"Victory?" The baby dragon wondered, unsure if she was really there. "How are you feeling?" Was all he found to say.

"I need a bath." She bluntly answered.

Still unsure the dragon nodded, scratched his nape then realized her demand and went for the wooden tub that he filled with water. She had approached, letting him warm the surface, touch it with a claw then breathe some more until hot steam floated. As he finished the mare went in and immerged, plunged her head to feel it stream on her face, her muscles loosen in the bath. "Well…" she said after a few seconds and he asked, what, she wanted for the assistant to brush her. Spike was about to renegade when he thought, her voice was calm, something that had changed which convinced him to comply.

Her flame of a mane was also a mess, he pulled lock after lock sometimes too harshly, expected her to complain but she stood still, pawed the water. With a foamy sponge he began washing her back, her sides and tried to make some conversation, cheap talk that went nowhere. The sponge emptied on her head, a short shower streaming down her burning neck, down to the chest. He rubbed the thigh, asked: "Did you hear us?" And fell in the water as the mare exited it.

Victory was standing still, drops dripping on her legs, on her muzzle and her tail wet. She told him to get her belongings, all of them. The baby dragon stood grumpy in the water, then curious as he watched her from the back, something that had changed, he couldn't tell what, spent some time on the muzzle and on the flank where the two shooting stars inflamed his imagination. She repeated, he saw her teeth between the lips and went upstairs, a moment alone in the other room to think, take the black cape and the rent piece of tissue.

"Binde myn yens."

He wasn't sure what she meant, watched her make the cape clap on her back and she repeated, her voice distant, for him to blindfold her. "What?" And suddenly it struck her, all this time she had kept her eyes closed. So he climbed her back and, using the tissue, obliged, tightened the knot then left and paced back to see his work, asked if she didn't want to dry.

"The Sonne wol." Victory answered as she strode, hit the table, paced more carefully towards the door.

"Eh, where do you think you are going like that?" Spike went after her, followed her outside the tree, back to the light of Ponyville. All around was joyful, careless, all flowers blooming under the thatched roofs. There was the scent, as if petals themselves were to fly in the air, or simply that of green leaves lulling under the sun. He reached her height, running on the grass and she answered, "to Caunterlot." The little dragon froze, "Canterlot?" She was feeling the ground before her with her toes, her heavy toes, he panicked and ran after her. She couldn't leave, at least she needed to tell Twilight.

Celestia's student didn't need to know. Her work was finished, the blazing mare added in those words that confused the dragon. She would see her queen, about to reach the street when he grabbed her, told her to stay.

"Lete me." Victory's voice growled. "Or I promyt, I wol sleer yow."

She had stopped to say those words and the baby dragon, his paws on her leg, felt it tremble. He felt what was anger, looked at her face and through the tissue blinding her he guessed those two eyes wide open, two dim gems that made his heart pound faster. He released his grasp, backed and said nothing more, and she said nothing more but kept her head turned on him, tapped the earth with her toe and her lips sketched a word that never came. Under the sun she was a flame, glorious, a blazing mare. When he finally gulped she turned back and paced, feeling her way, plunged into the streets of Ponyville.

Even blind she could still feel the warm air, hear around her the joyous voices of many mares, recognized a few as she passed before a shop. The tale wouldn't reveal her thoughts, only that as she walked carefully by those houses, by the bushes and the gardens in bloom her steps were quiet, almost faint. Her head was hanging low, more to ease her walk than anything, to guess her way through the wide paths. From everywhere were taps of hooves passing by and she could guess the flow of manes, like whistles the jolts of their tails at each stride.

Fillies ran past her, stopped when they recognized the mare and curious they turned around her, asked when she would come back, what about the blindfold, if she was hurt. She only knew from their happy voices, how they were smiling and concerned. They wanted her back in school, play prisoner or hide and seek, and the youngest said Applebloom was sadder since she left. Their trot was light on the ground to follow her heavy pace, four little ones laughing when she would use those odd words and expressions, asking her if it was true that she met a prince, how it looked like and they disputed.

They didn't mention that day.

When they approached the rail station all the fillies said goodbye, returned to their games and she listened to their laughs, pawed on the ground, ears flat. The mare found her way around the platform until steps appeared under her legs, and she neared the rails, just at the edge, then waited.

"Eh!" A stallion with his blue striped cap approached. "You may not want to do that."

He meant staying so close to the rails and she backed away, surprised, asked what rails were, which took the stallion by surprise. He only then really realized her blindfold and her, on his neck, the whistle hanging. She needed to go to Canterlot, and he asked, if she had a ticket. For a couple seconds the blazing mare did nothing but face him, then turned away and went along the platform to leave, he watched her get down and was about to return to his tasks when the station master opened his mouth wide, stunned.

"Eh!" He repeated, went after her and on the platform edge, she wasn't seriously going to walk all the way to Canterlot. She asked why and he said, he hesitated as the stallion looked at her blinded face, she would never reach the town before night, and besides, the mountain could prove dangerous.

"I wol follow the rails." She offered a genuine answer.

"That's even more dangerous!" He struggled to explain. "You really can't afford a ticket?"

She didn't even know what a ticket was, said her silence, but she approached him and said, all she owed was what she was wearing, and she took off her cape, held it between her teeth, she offered it to the stallion. "Who is this mare" the stallion mumbled when the whistle of the train and the growling of rails cut them. He told her to get away from the tracks and wait, trotted back to his functions as the machine roared along the platform, breathed and spitted, released its thick heaps of smoke.

The mare growled back, tense, put her toes sharp on the ground ready to fight, faced the engine blowing steam by its chimney. Her bristle had bristled up, yet she heard doors open and many pony voices, she calmed down, sit and waited until the stallion came back, holding something between his teeth. "So, you want to go that badly?" He said, she nodded, he told her to take her cape and come. Then he handed the ticket, a one way ride, just this time he stressed. It couldn't be helped.


	32. Her way home

At this height the whole plain was visible, and it seemed, the whole land. Her sight skimmed the grassy hills, the fringe of forests and those lakes afar, spent more time on those tiny houses still the color of fields, of wheat. At this height where clouds could touché the sides of mountains her sun dominated, reduced the plants to shrubs and branches between the cracks of rocks. All was fresh, a little wet as her quiet walk made her approach the ponds of water and their thousands of streams. She turned a last time to look at the plain away, so quiet, as if a painting never to change.

Upstream was the waterfall hurling wild on each side of cliffs, making stone sweat and breaking on it, a vast curtain in waves that smashed down and waved what flora there was around. The alicorn hopped and hovered gently on a rock where the ponds would join in one vast surface, its current strong polishing the pebbles. Her hoof shoed tempted the surface, felt it cold. In another hop she reached the other side, as if an oasis preserved under the mountain's shadow, where bushes higher, almost like trees, were hiding their many bunches of flowers. All this green after all this grey made her gentle white coat as her tall wings brighten and shine.

She gasped at a gasp when a stallion head raised and both surprised felt like caught. "Blueblood?" The princess asked, amused as he hastily brushed his golden mane.

"My aunt." He found some composure. "This is no place for a princess."

"Is it for a prince?" She smiled, and as they asked each other he explained, it was his first time coming here, a sudden urge to discover the surroundings. Celestia nodded, already her eyes had found this soft touch so concerned, that could pierce hearts. She simply laid down on the grass, her muzzle near the water to feel its humidity. "I almost never come here." It was too cold, too lonely she added as her voice drifted like the current.

The prince shrugged, he didn't like it either, neither did his bow and neck and yet, he added, the place was so savage, and he couldn't tell why. His look was for the waterfall crushing its mass straight down in a constant roar, something as old as his aunt he guessed aloud. The princess let that remark slide, only her face saddened and she said, she was actually older.

"Now, please, my aunt," he wouldn't believe her. "The legend says it is as old as Equestria. Born from the remaining ice." And he pondered, she could be older after all.

"A constant reminder of old feuds" Celestia answered, put her cheek on her leg. She had overseen the writing of that legend.

Added to the stream was a breeze that the rocks excited, that would wave leaves and soften their manes. She felt it strengthen, rose as this magic trail approached too thin to be seen, stopped and rolled over her head. The scroll fell, caught by her glow but she hadn't expected the envelope which fell in the grass. "Nothing important?" The prince asked, rubbing his hoof a few steps away. She was reading, recognized Spike's pawwriting then rolled it back, let it fall too. It took some seconds for the stallion to consider that her aunt was lost in thoughts, and he thought, she was Celestia, so he kept rubbing his hoof and looking around at all those flowers, their petals dense.

Her trouble had waned, erased by her gentle smile. All that was left was the flow of her colorful mane, of her colorful tail in the shadows of the mountain. In those shadows her wings were wings and her horn just a horn, her grace just the grace of anypony. But she was standing, the princess made some steps, walked away from the two letters to face the stream falling afar by the edge, in another waterfall breaking asunder. The feathers slashed the air, then fluttered and wide and majestic, in a hop she left that bushy side of the waterfall. Blueblood frowned, not even a goodbye for him and he returned to his flowers, careless for what she had left behind.

"Goodness! Princess Luna, it's a pleasure!"

She smiled back at the shop owner, offered a bit for a fruit. Her eyes tired, blinking, the young princess returned to her guards near the center of the place so different in the day, with just the stone as cold colored by the crowd of ponies.

A moment later she was almost asleep on that same stone, her coiffure covering the face as she curled and the two night guards, looking stern, sit at her sides. She could still feel the day's warmth, that touch of light on her back and the many voices but, the fruit in her hooves, she murmured for a short pause. Ponies passing by would stop and look, surprised, and she could hear their rumors, and she would smile. Before her the guards as cold as night in their deep armors kept looking in the distance, watching over an alley near the end of the place where, for a minute almost, the filly was, observing. None would move but for Luna to turn and let her back leg hanging, yawning in lethargy.

Then she felt her guards tense, other rumors which forced her out of her fatigue. A shadow flew over her, making Luna open her eyes and look over in the sky at her sister landing in a wide circle, touching the ground before her.

"Once again, sister," the tone Celestia used achieved to wake up the young alicorn, "I would need your help."

The princess of day mentioned the letters, ready to show it when she realized her oversight. One was from Spike, and the other, an envelope, only the guards noticed. "I understand" Luna said in a stern tone, then rolled back on the stone to bite in her fruit, lick the juice on her lips. She confirmed, she knew what it meant, and she wasn't worried. Neither was her older sister, and in her soft voice the pure alicorn added, she was relieved to see her react so calmly. But she had to make sure nothing would happen to the elements.

"Do not worry, sister." Luna answered in her cold voice. "I will take care of everything."

Her determined face then melted to slumber, she took another bite then closed her eyes and stretching, asked for a few more minutes. Once only one alicorn remained the crowd came back, lulling her with their taps of hooves and their happy tones. Only the alley was deserted, the only quiet place in a city full of life.

From afar Canterlot offered its towers of white, tall walls of golden gates hiding the streets or the gardens. The train whistled, turned to take the first tunnel and all faded to dark, for some time, as steam would breathe on the sides and warm the air until they emerged, the sky greeted them with but few clouds to hamper the sun. Steel wheels spitted sparks on the rails, on the slope, they turned before a second whistle and shortly after, emerging once again at some higher point the train discovered the city closer, its vast gardens on the edge and before it raised by a bridge over the water, a large turn leading to the train station. In the wagons most passengers were eager to arrive, tried to see even from there if someone they knew was waiting on the tiny platform.

It approached and the station bell rang for its arrival. Slowly and slowly the locomotive braked, halted all of its wagons aligned and the doors opened, ponies pressed on both directions confounding in excuses as they stepped on each other.

She reached the platform, tried the ground around her and waited for the crowd to calm all around. To a pony who passed she stopped her and asked, if it was Canterlot. "Uh uh" the mare answered with a bit of concern, before leaving the blazing mare. A few bumped into her, not by fault, she walked away by a few steps before halting, ears up searching around for some marks. The train was a beast growling for departure, she heard water hissing as it flowed over the steel beast, heard a colt complaining that the travel had been rough. When the platform stopped trembling, those waves like tiny earthquakes as all turned quiet the mare finally let go of the ticket between her teeth.

Then Victory felt it, someone observing her. It wouldn't show under her blindfold, her frown, a smirk and she clenched her teeth. She didn't like it, she couldn't like it, because she felt observed but felt no presence. It was where all ponies had gone, where she could hear rumors of the city that the walls wouldn't mute. She almost perceived the flow of a cloak.

"Excuse me brave lady" a gentle, detached stallion asked her. "Would you know if miss Rarity was onboard this train?"

She turned to face the voice, listened and guessed his breath, at his side a pony with lighter hooves. He adjusted his monocle, waited patiently for her answer as the consort pawed, something like disdain. "Sche wasn't" the blazing mare let go, she was certain of that. She was with her friends, playing by the river, back in Ponyville.

"What a pity" the stallion nodded. "When I heard this rumor, that an important pony was coming, I immediately thought it was her." And he guessed, it would be for another time. "Thank you kindly for your time."

Victory nodded, turned to walk away.

"One more thing, if I may." He asked in a warm voice. "It is the first time I hear this accent. Could you tell me where you come from?"

For a second the mare faced him again and the consort, at his side, seemed to fret. She turned her head, said, from Canterlot. And suddenly she felt the need to ask him, if there were guards on the platform. The stallion smiled, she could feel his smile, she could know it, in his mild voice confirmed there were, and his answer was something of a compliment, something of an old nobility. The blazing mare thanked him, turned and feeling her way, went towards the gate, towards the city. She heard him follow and ask if she wanted some company. It meant, someone to guide her, but she refused: "Myn Queene wol gyde me."

"Your que…" a thought crossed his mind. "I must apologize, I didn't even ask for your name."

But she was already tired of him, in a grunt the mare forced her pace, her toes striding on the paved streets. It struck him, those toes so sharp, those heavy hooves and the black cape sliding on her back, he felt a shiver along his spine. It was the pony the prince had mentioned, a living tale that he watched walking away, blindfolded.


	33. Twilight's truth

The four muzzles were wondering over the board, and one pointed, there were triangles. Facing frowns she added, she thought it was worth noticing. Fluttershy asked if it played like with gooses but their studious friend busy with the blackboard answered a probable not. "And ponies played this?" Dash groaned in a shower of tiny round pieces of wood all engraved. She abandoned the board game quickly followed by the others, returned to the two unicorns as they scrambled to finish their preparations.

Finally putting down the chalk Twilight declared she was ready, thanked Rarity who returned among the group, "I did the drawings" the precious mare simply said while lying down among them. Almost all were waiting for the young unicorn to begin, she called on Pinkie Pie and the pink mare leaped to join them, making Spike check the last box on the list.

Twilight took her rod and began: "My studies so far show that friendship is composed of five things. Honesty, kindness, laughter, generosity and loyalty." And she smiled at the satisfied looks of her friends.

"Wait!" Pinkie waved her leg. "You missed one!"

Exactly the student was about to say when her pinkish friend proposed it was cuteness, quickly receiving nods of approvals even from the cowmare who couldn't help it, it had to count somewhere. She cut them, stressed the seriousness of her studies and she was almost, somewhat probably "fine!" She gave up and promised she would add cuteness somewhere, then came back to the actual graphic and they all understood.

"Magic. The most mysterious, most confusing element and yet, I think the most fundamental. I probably shouldn't say that but by elimination…"

"Twilight" Dash was on the back, bored.

"Without magic, without the spark, friendship is impossible."

Which brought her to the letter and she let her assistant go before the blackboard. The letter had been addressed to a certain mare who, he insisted, never seemed interested to read it, by a young mare claiming that the night Nightmare Moon returned she had lost her magic. Her case was unique, which meant she had been the only pony suffering from it as far as pony history went. But, he added, her search for a cure led her to the tale of a war pony, a mare named Victory, and she had been convinced that the princess knight had suffered from the same illness.

Pushing up her hat Applejack noticed, to stop her if she was stating the obvious, that this was a unicorn, and Victory was an earth pony. Pinkie approved, her mouth full of wood pieces, flattened her ears at the scolding look the student gave her.

"You are right" She then said to her brave friend. But it was the only explanation she had, and she listed all that had happened. Somehow Victory was unaffected by magic, she didn't know how, she didn't know why but she was now convinced of it. She finally noticed Fluttershy's hoof slightly raised an inch over the ground, let her ask what it meant. "It means nothing magical works on her." And there was a lot of magic involved, far more than they imagined. Not just unicorn magic but also manipulating clouds, growing seeds, and things far, far more basic.

"But" the shy pegasus tried, "she can still be a friend, can't she?"

"In theory, no." Twilight shook her head, making her dark mane flow, her fringe cut sharp. "In practice? I am certain there is a way."

Sure Dash guessed, and the fierce mare having left the group to get at the window was watching the sun in the middle of the sky, in the afternoon advanced. They would kick some friendship in that stubborn head, before she did something stupid like taking over the land. A curve forced them to brace, once back to normal the studious mare nodded, they would prove the theory wrong or heal Victory. At which point Pinkie screamed that she had found it, took her friends back to the board to tell them all about what possible rules this game ever could have had. Twilight watched them do, giggled before turning to Spike.

He surprised her mild look, asked what it was. "I'm sorry" she said, even though she still disapproved reading other's letters, without it she would never have understood what was going on. The baby dragon crossed his arms, all happy, sniffed then breathed and found the scroll in his paws. The seal was Celestia's, and the mares asked, what it said.

"Uh" Spike mumbled reading it. "Short story? It says to stay in Ponyville. Long story? The elements of Harmony have been stolen."

"It is nat soth."

Birds were chirping on branches, all around in the quiet gardens and she could feel under her feet the path paved, smell the scent of the flora enchanting. She would imagine, just near, flourishing among the hedges white flowers so delicate they couldn't be touched without their petals falling, and the mare lowered her head. Her hoof was on the stone, before the pedestal nude among the garden statues. One the plate letters were surfacing, one word beginning with one letter, the only one familiar to her. She had always thought, the third letter was a sun opened on her subjects, and the twenty-second, a hoof sharp against her enemies.

The mare raised her hoof again, searched for a statue to meet nothing, just a plain empty surface polished. It meant nothing. It could mean nothing. A voice took her out of her thoughts, she had forgotten about the stallion who guessed, she needed some time alone. Victory listened as his striding waned, until she was finally alone in the royal gardens.

And she knew how close the castle was, where to find the entrance, but the mare wouldn't move. Her leg without strength slowly let go, slipped down back to the grass, back to the path where she sit. A minute, then another minute, she was still, even her breath hardly perceptible, but looking at nothing blindfolded her shadow followed the bare motion of the sun. Her foreleg became tense, tapped, tapped and trembled and she let a furious hissing escape, shook her head until the spasm went away. She was trying to imagine those white, gentle flowers everywhere, covering the gardens of a soft touch, and she wanted to hear those light hooves again, those slim legs and the happiness back then. She got surprised.

"By my ankle!" The old voice exclaimed. "You mam'sel look exactly like her!"

The gardener had let his shovel fall to approach, a shoot in his teeth, asked her in his rocky voice if she could get on the pedestal. He helped her, told her to rise on her back legs and then, raise the back, some more, stretch her legs and he exclaimed, it was exactly like the statue. She asked, what statue, the one that had been broken by the storm, after those pegasi played with the sky he grumbled. But here it was, the resemblance was troubling, even her cutie mark was like the two shooting stars that were surrounding the art piece. He thanked her, helped her go back down.

It had been good memories the gardener admitted, even though it wasn't his preferred that loss had let him somewhat empty. "You get attached to those, you know?" She didn't, it was just stone, but for him it was companions when walking back to the shed, in the evening, and he wondered what they would replace the statue with. Had to work anyway so the old gardener thanked her again and left, leaving the mare to realize, she hadn't asked him the statue's name. She had refused to. The mare stood still again, stood up to this pedestal head high and yet, was unable to depart.

Then, she heard those light hooves, with slippers of glass tapping the paved stone. She listened to the steel hissing of armors, two and two and two blocking every passage.

"Why have you come back, Victory?" The cold voice asked.

The blazing mare answered, her voice hollow: "To speken with myn Queene."

Both stood silent, the royal blue alicorn looking at her as Victory wouldn't leave the pedestal, but defy it, but face it and only her ears betrayed her feelings. They stood silent, as time would tell all, of the same fate, both of times long gone the young princess tried to soften her voice, made it even icier, like shards. And she added, she had wanted more than was reasonable, she had pursued a dangerous goal. It was the blazing mare, but she corrected, it was that young student who stopped her. "Like I will stop you if you persist." Luna stepped forward, fluttered her wings.

Only the mare said, she had been wrong. About everything, she had been wrong. Thinking ponies were lying to her. Thinking, she muted, thinking she had not been just a miserable pile of stone, thinking, her voice trembled, thinking she hadn't betrayed her queen. But all along, she turned to the alicorn, all along ponies were telling her the truth. And she had to believe, that she betrayed her queen because otherwise it meant, the mare shook her head, it meant that her queen betrayed her. "A I werne to yleven it." So she had come, to face trial, to get punished for her crimes. She didn't know which ones, she didn't care, as long as the peace she had fought for was preserved.

Luna remained cold at those words, tapped on the ground to prevent the mare from coming forth anymore. Why she would believe, such a sudden change of heart, the princess reminded she had been lied to once already.

"You want the crown" – "I yisce friendship!" – "You want the crown!" She fustigated.

The blazing mare crouched and before her: "Queene, I begge of yow!" From behind the blindfold were tears. All she wanted, all she asked was to talk to her queen.

She was about to refuse when the princess of night halted, feeling pain in her chest, her legs weak and her sight troubled. As much as she told herself, that Victory was lying, that this was just a trick, she felt her defenses break. That weak voice imploring her was reminding her of the purple alicorn, that night, asking her to stop. Her guards all around were waiting, ready to fight, she had expected a fight. The princess of night sighed, eyes closed, looked away and said, things had really changed in a thousand years.


	34. It had to be

Their steps on the stairs were echoed by those many of guards, armors of black along the white pillars. The lights were those of lamps, candles on copper slashing shades on the walls and ponies alike. What couldn't be seen was the reddish sky as evening raised its beams over the castle, turned its pure towers into burning flames. She was ablaze, following three steps behind and her heavy hooves on the carpet dominated their march. She was slowing down as the doors neared, those doors unguarded on which the late lights were painting warm colors. This was the throne and on the throne would be Celestia.

Not one guard, not on the gates or in the tall hallways, the silence only guarded this restful place, troubled by faint rumors of the servants and it was, to light up hundreds of wicks, to let the smell of wax weigh on minds, force slumber as it burned, slowly, like a spell. The smell was there soft and mild, familiar to the guards, one last signal before twilight as the two astral plans would cross. The princess of night halted, wings open, turned to the mare. "Wait for my return" and she left her guest behind, stepped in alone in the royal room.

Celestia watched her approach, the alicorn majestic on the golden siege of Equestria. On her side were the two banners, and one more behind which was the flag of two alicorns, dark in the light. The late day was piercing through stained-glass, let no shadow on any edge, nor under Luna's steps. The young one stopped and announced, Victory was there.

"Does she know, about the elements?" The celestial voice forced her way through Luna's heart.

She then nodded and let her sister step forward, climb the steps and sit at her side. She was on her left, the stellar mane flowing silently before her older sister, cutting its shape along the slim and pure silhouette of the princess. Luna called, loudly, for the mare to enter, and helmets appeared, guards entering in two times two rows aligning along the windows. There were the captains of the royal guard, in armors like suns, richly decorated.

Then came a light step, hooves striding without weight, as if careless. The mare appeared, crossed the doors and approached in forced strides. And Luna noticed, the blindfold was gone, leaving her face open on those two dim eyes like gems which seemed to see nothing but a point in the distance that couldn't exist. It was a timid stride, a timid walk that pawed close to the throne, at a dozen steps where the blazing mare bowed and crouched, put her face against the floor and saluted her queen. "I am glad to see you again, Victory" the princess of day warmly welcomed, yet in her voice was a flame, some strength.

"Now, please", she added for her to rise, "tell me all about your stay in Ponyville."

"Myn Queene, I assayde oure neue." Victory answered as she got up, eyes closed, she felt the glare from the younger princess. She would use another language before the throne, and the mare pleaded, she knew no word for "assayen". The prince had been hurt by her own hooves, "bibled", and so had been Luna. And with those hooves she had fought the dragon, the mare added, showing her two sharp toes to the princesses. Doing so she had raised on her back legs, and the lights of stained glass turned her coat into live coal, her mane to white.

She got down, pawed on the floor, on the royal carpet and when she turned to the alicorns again her eyes had opened, two gems inexpressive in which her voice muted. She had hurt ponies. After a silence the mare added, she didn't want to hurt them anymore, because, "they are myn freends." On her face appeared a smile, a weak, trembling smile.

"Myn Queene, oure scoler spedde." She forced her smile, stepped forward, her leg suspended. "Sche tahte me frendschipe."

At her sister's side the younger alicorn repressed any reaction but forced her glare on the blazing mare, defied those inexpressive eyes. No, Twilight Sparkle couldn't have succeeded. It was a lie, it had to be. She felt it, her chest burning, the willingness to believe in those words. And she would say nothing, but wait, wait for her sister to answer.

"This is wonderful" Celestia smiled back, "you couldn't make me happier."

But in her voice was this flame persisting, amplified by the high ceiling, and truly majestic. Her answer had thrown relief, strengthening the mare's faint smile just as Luna was searching for a detail, any detail that would betray the reasons for such a lie: "Don't you think?" Celestia had asked her, about this turn of events. The princess of night felt a thrill, as if waking up, watched the tender face of her sister.

And she couldn't tell, if the princess of day believed that lie or not, in her genuine look, her peaceful smile, Celestia seemed blind. Luna had realized, the only reason for this lie, and she coldly answered: "Nights can do miracles, dear sister." At which the older princess offered her warmest smile.

"Tell us", the young alicorn addressed Victory, "if you still claim this throne and its land."

"Queene," the mare's smile was so feeble, "the trouthe is folfult. I wol aske non ma."

And Luna heard herself answer in a cold, detached voice, that it was fine. She wanted to yell, why, again and again why to the war mare, because it had to be a lie, what interest she could have. The alicorn didn't want to know the answer, feeling bad, as if the room had reduced and the air too warm was choking. She wanted to yell, why her sister could believe such words, when it was so blatant, and she was beginning to doubt, but it had to be a lie, it had to be.

It had to be.

She snapped out of her thoughts as her captain approached, in an armor of deep blue and lengthy fins, and the scales slashing shards of light. He murmured for the young princess alone, that the mares were here and she almost got angered, but nodded. "What is it?" Celestia asked and her sister, at this warm soft voice, answered evasively, a small matter calling for her attention. She asked to be excused, got up and leaving the throne, passed by the blazing mare. She halted. Her eyes plunged in the expressive eyes, to tell her, she knew, and somehow in those two dim wide gems she got an answer, her own reflect.

Once outside she heard laughter coming from the throne, answered by some forced laugh that seemed so weak, so artificial. She looked behind at the doors, shook her head then went, followed by a guard, towards the hall.

The six mares were there, the six elements reforming as they approached her in a little group pressed. The dark alicorn went down the stairs, forced the group to leave her some place and her cold look seized the purple mare. "Why are you all here?" She scolded, as Celestia's letter ordered them to stay in Ponyville. It had come too late the student explained, they were already on their way and thus, Rarity followed, she had insisted for them to spend the evening in the city of art. The precious mare had already planned their next stop at the theater to "educate" the ruthless spirits that inhabited the earth and sky. The two concerned friends grunted, took bliss in their respective annoyed looks.

"I don't want to seem rude but" Applejack asked, "what's Victory doing now?"

The stern look of the princess made them uneasy, even more when she answered it was none of their concern. It was, Twilight tried, surprised by the resistance she met. They had to leave, they had nothing to do with all of this. "Works for me!" Dash voted, then almost frowned at the reactions. Of course she cared, but Victory was way more than able to take care of herself, let alone the princess. "I bet she would be angry to find us here!" And the cowmare, a bit forced, had to admit she didn't expect less.

But Twilight insisted, since it was her student "sort of", she still felt responsible. And she added, maybe she could help with the illness.

"Illness?" Luna frowned. She had never heard of it, walked a bit to hide her surprise. The young mare behind her was still speaking, explaining what she had found but the princess had already rejected the idea. Her icy face, resolute, had rejected such a simple answer. And turning to Twilight Sparkle, to force the student she said: "It is your pupil no more."

It was nothing more than a simple mare trying to pout at her own anecdote, the throne room full of her voice. She had disputed with the student that the moon was a mirror. Twilight had forced her to watch into a telescope, a lengthy tube with lenses, and as suddenly she was in the sky, on her way to the stars. Since then, each time she would do a mistake, the student would threaten her of making her watch into the telescope again. "Bot the Mone is slike a pulched, a oure scoler is misgyed" she concluded in a defying grin that made the tall alicorn chuckle. No, Victory defended, she didn't mean she had a bad teacher, she would never but to the calming hoof of her queen she turned quiet.

"Algate, I tharnyd to aske…" Victory's smile wavered, so forced as she explained, her toes were too sharp, and those days too quiet, peace didn't need knights. So, the blazing mare pleaded, she wanted a hooficure. Celestia's smile was mild, so gentle. "You have my permission." She finally said, but after so much time.

And the smile Victory offered seemed artificial no more, almost real, something of a hope as she thanked her queen, as she added, there was something else. "I haue freendschipe" she attempted, and so, so, now she wanted to return on her pedestal.

Silence lasted, lasted, for so many seconds and through the windows the sky dark already was spreading wings of furious light lasting through the windows, in the room illuminated. It was those inexpressive eyes, it was the faint smile that wouldn't leave, for almost a minute both said nothing and the guards aligned waited, silent as if bodies of stone, like pillars, their armors eternal. The princess's smile, more and more, and faded, to a concerned look and saddened, and by that only it seemed the entire room had been engulfed in the dark. She wanted to smile, to still smile as Victory was, she couldn't.

Then, at her turn, the blazing mare lowered her head, lowered her ears and that smile, that so weak smile, began to fade. She was trembling, like leaves in autumn, waiting until: "She has failed." The princess questioned, her majesty reduced by sorrow, and her wings, her wide pure wings, grieved.


	35. Lesson none

This was twilight, as the sun falling from its sky was about to disappear, on mountains afar and their tops white it would burn wild, turn earth scorched and last until the very last glimmer of light was extinct. This was twilight, a time eternal between day and night, and sad. The student watched silently as the horizon inflamed gazed upon the river and the clouds, upon the lamps of the gardens. "It knows neither pity nor bliss" Luna told the young mare, and in old old times she remembered, this horizon of flames was believed to be magic itself, consumed at the frontiers of this world.

"How was it?" Twilight asked, fascinated. "A thousand years ago?"

"Back then," the princess leant on the balcony railings, "the sister would fight the sister."

And she would look at her nights, as it told all, those cold feelings from a long gone past. History books would tell the rest. Under them in the gardens Fluttershy was pursuing the brave mare, her freckles vivid in the light shadows as she trotted away holding the golden apple by its stem. They were happy, and this happiness, this careless life was something a mare from the past could only dream of. She had heard, the young princess added, that it had gone worse after her exile. But each time she had asked Celestia, her older sister had answered: "To leave the past behind."

For the young Sparkle all of this was abstract, she simply waved at her friends from the balcony, watched them gallop over the bushes. It was all before her unraveled and all she could see was those simple smiles, and the cold smile of Luna happy for them, as if afar.

Once again the dark princess answered no when the student asked her to see Celestia, or at least the blazing mare. She wanted to help, she knew she could help, at least to find the elements, she had to do something: "Do you think of Victory as a friend?" The princess asked, and Twilight stood silent, confused before the tall alicorn. Such a simple answer made her look down, paw the marble and under the furious sky lights she said, she wasn't sure. All she knew was, deep in her heart, she wanted to help.

"Silence!" Celestia's voice fulminated, echoed in the throne room.

The princess of day had stood up, wings filling the space and threatening, at this single voice she had made her subject bow and crouch before her. Her face was angered, a cold look on her warm coat that deepened the calm. But the alicorn didn't tremble, didn't shake, tall and firm she defied something in the mare, for moments still, until the feeling waned. Sighing, the princess hesitated, decided to leave her throne. She went down, hooves so light that they barely disturbed the gold steps, she approached on the carpet, to a few steps. There, her simple presence was a shadow weighing on the imploring head crouched before her.

"Victory, you are not ill, you are not cursed. You are not mean, you are no monster, and you certainly are no statue."

She made one more step, hoping for the head to rise, even a bit, for those eyes to open.

"What you are is a wonderful mare, and my knight."

And that word calmed the blazing mare. She opened an eye, fearful to watch her queen, and she asked in a weak voice, but she had felt the pedestal, under her hoof, and she had heard, "listen to me" Celestia pleaded. She had, were her exact words, she had never turned her into a statue. To say otherwise was a lie. Her voice was concerned, so genuine, making the mare grit her teeth and hold her feelings. She wanted to yell, she so wanted to, but the alicorn so close was rendering her mute. Only she tried, one last time, to let her solve all, since she had harmed all but her queen, she didn't want to. "You won't" the princess gently scolded her, one step closer, she stretched her hoof to touch her forefront.

"You are Victory, I know you can still fight." But Victory begged, she couldn't anymore. "You can! Until the very last light, and I promise you will be given friendship." Her voice had somehow weakened, troubled by some feeling, but she asked: "Don't you believe in me anymore, Victory? Don't you trust your queen?"

She did.

Doors opened on the dreadful mare, as she paced away, her cape silent on her back and the mane tamed, her heavy hooves were bell tones on the floor a moment when she walked away from the carpet, and she shivered, hopped on the velvet. She walked, but nowhere, and from the other side of the hallway saw the princess of night come back, her mane stellar in the first lights of darkness, by those lamps quiet, accompanied by the lavender Sparkle. She heard her name, saw the smile, looked away and, without a word, without a glance, walked past them, towards the stairs and the gates.

But the young mare ran after her and, at her side, asked how it went, got no answer, insisted. They were to join her friends in the garden and then, head to the theater. "Of course" Twilight added, her tone anguished, she would understand if the mare didn't want to. Or maybe she wouldn't, but she would accept it, and the young mare pacing slowly behind the forceful mare admitted, she hadn't treated her much as a friend.

It took Victory past the stairs to stop, and turn. To see the face so sorry of the student, all saddened. "Why don't yow smile" she asked, and Twilight surprised, why should she. For more seconds, "minutes" the student felt, they looked at each other and her into those dull eyes on which she could still remember the stains.

"Find my flag, Twilight Sparkle" the blazing mare eventually answered, "and I will come."

Such decision made the mare hop in joy, clap her hooves and smile, she was thanking her when she saw Victory already heading to the gardens and she said, to wait for her.

Those last rumors had not reached the throne room and yet, it was as if they had heard it all. The two sisters together had waited, until the last guard had left, and even then, until her horns would cease to glow, the end of the day, the beginning of the night, until the stars would guard them. Then only Celestia let a sigh escape, as if unburdened, she returned to the throne and thanked that Victory had listened. The pure alicorn, majestic before her own throne, was letting all her thoughts storm with worries and pains. She knew that, behind her, her sister was waiting to tell something.

It was about the elements. "Why not" Luna asked, and already vexed if her sister took it as naïve, why not use the elements on Victory. And she argued, either it would work, and the mare would be happy, or it would fail, and the mare would be a statue again. "She was a statue, we witnessed that." But Celestia shook her head. She only wanted for Luna to watch over the elements of Harmony, never to use them. "But why!" Her younger sister got impatient. It was the best answer, and their last resort if Victory proved too dangerous.

The powerful alicorn watched her throne, a hoof on the first step, and answered. "The elements wouldn't work." It was certainty in her voice the tale affirmed, a sentence. And she turned to leave, and her sister suddenly, as if awakening, asked:

"Wait! How can you know that?" She asked, the tale asked and the princess of day, lowering her head, didn't stop. "Answer me Celestia!" Luna shivered: "How do you know!"

* * *

**End of the first part.**

**When writing the bath scene back in chapter 31 I noticed how I had neglected my descriptions, because, yeah, descriptions are important. They are not fillers, they are not there to look good. Those details are the story.**

**Anyway. You might be aware of the "Twilight Princess" rumor. We might laugh about it later but right now, and if you haven't missed the last thirty-five chapters, it does matter to me. So I'll wait and see, and somewhere between the end of February or the beginning of March, decide to tackle the second part or put a "complete" on it. In the meantime I'll work on those next seven chapters.**

**To be honest, when by chapter 32 I saw a number tick down my first thought was "it's finished". But it's not worth discussing. As long as I can, I'll keep erring with Victory.**

* * *

**Well, that's it. I had replanned my story to have Twi' as a princess by ep 15, and it fitted. So wings are not the problem. I can't tell what's the problem, only that writing the story doesn't make sense anymore. As it is, this is all there will be.**

**It's compromised, but for me, it's not over. Anyway, I'll leave you with the words meant to introduce the story's second part:**

_I saeh thar yen welven a smelten, ytornd to me, a I war wanwolde.  
Or feye myn ane I iliche al schalde the fallyng sterre._


	36. Alone again

_I saeh thar yen welven a smelten, ytornd to me, a I war wanwolde.__  
__Or feye myn ane I iliche al schalde the fallyng sterre._

Weak words were all that was left, when time had come to excuse the greatest of gifts this is what was said, that it was nothing but a town in the plain facing afar under the sky metal sharp those towers of white. Fields were green, gardens in bloom, ponies ever happy in the lost history. Call it Victory's tale if you want, hardly anypony knew what it was or what it meant. It is this weak will I fear, when royalty is reduced to some light that you will see nothing but a stonehearted mare, because there was nothing but a stonehearted mare to begin with.

Fields were green, in pastures wide the grass floated, waved on the sides of hills with lighter shades. The grass was fresh, the bristle wet, their hooves stomped and smashed the sluggish soil. Hers heavy and strong pulled forward in a single leap, breaking the circle, striked close to those of the filly who wavered and fell. It wasn't the shock, only the fear the mare explained, stepping back on her side of the circle. There the grass stomped over and over had let place to mud. "You startled me!" The filly got up, checked her red ribbon and pouted, mocked a bit by her two friends aside, she hadn't felt any fear.

This was the point Sweetie Belle insisted, as she had done a few times already. "It's... your body!" She couldn't explain it more clearly, it was the body that was frightened and she looked at the mare for approval, met only two dull, wide and inexpressive eyes. Her two friends didn't care, Applebloom grunted and said all she wanted to know was how she could have avoided falling.

"Liche this" the older pony answered, getting up on her two hind legs and defiant, she put her two front together as a shield. Thus, she explained, all hits would reach her hooves and leave the body unharmed, and her back and thighs would absorb the shock. Scootaloo fluttered her wings, remembering: "That's what Luna's guards did!" But she got no reaction and, feeling left aside, she looked around at the field, at the coming pony.

"Stand on my legs" the young farm pony repeated, getting up on her two and mimicking the mare, "put my hooves together... and now nothing can defeat me!" She grinned.

"Are you learning to fight?" The voice of her sister asked from behind.

Applejack approached the group, to the side of the two fillies watching, stopping by them as her little sister lowered her front legs back to the ground and smiled. They were learning to be knights, "she is" Scootaloo underlined, a bit frustrated. It was part of their quest, as good Crusaders and since, "well" the white filly added as an excuse, crusaders were a bit like knights. They had seen on the cowmare's face some disapproval, the hat a bit low shadowing her sight.

"No offense Victory" Applejack addressed the group, "but my sister here doesn't need no lesson on fighting, 'cause she won't fight ever."

She had said that with a lighter tone at the end, since it was common sense, ponies weren't meant to fight and as the fillies, a bit annoyed, admitted it the cowmare kept looking at the mare still silent on her side of the circle.

"But I want to be a knight!" Applebloom reacted, she wanted to be brave and fight dragons.

"Your sister is right" Victory's voice slashed the air, cold. "Poneys should nat fight, yow should nat want to."

"But you fight all the time!" The little filly tried.

At that the blazing mare answered nothing, only turned and said goodbye. She would be at the library, playing with Spike, and with a last look at her hooves the mare went away, by the hills and that sky metal sharp.

Applejack left with the group of fillies felt relieved. She rubbed the juicy mane of her sister and proposed it was time for some lunch. They let the two other crusaders go their way for more playtime and returned towards the town more joyful than ever. The little sis' trotted along still excited by what she had learned, or thought she had learned, and she suddenly began to explain it, the circle pattern and all. "Stop it" the cowmare cut her, a bit harsh. She didn't mind the fun but those were things she didn't want her sister to play with, and Applebloom grunted, fell silent.

She had wanted to answer, stuff like what her big sister would do if say there were timberwolves, but there was no heart for that. Her attention had been caught by the breeze, joy filling the air so plain, as if concrete, and soon she was smiling again, her little trot happy and light at the side of that happy and light of her big sister. Both were approaching the first houses, by thatched roofs and tall chimneys when they finally noticed the music, some air coming playing that they immediately liked.

"Ya hear that?" Applejack asked. "There must be festivities or something! Let's leave the sad knight stuff behind and have some fun, what do ya say?"

The sister didn't give it a thought: "I'm with ya big sis'!"

Both went on to join other ponies attracted like them by the happy tone, and soon they reached the street, just opening at the corner of two close houses, where they saw dozens of town mares and stallions dancing along the notes, eyes closed, their expressions so happy, humming to follow the rhythm. In front of them was the musician, her coat of such a pale green flowing with the partition as she pulled the strings of her tiny harp, Applejack thought, with tiny glows of magic. Her trot was so genuine it made the cowmare want to follow, and already she was humming too, lulling her head then to her sister: "Let's join them!" And the filly nodded, pressed to go and take part with the parade.

Not a second later Applebloom was watching the Stetson hat of her sister flying lone in the air, caught it with her teeth as the sister herself was down on the ground, covered by the crashed rainbow.

"Don't get near them!" Rainbow Dash hissed to her friend between her forced smile.

Applejack pushed her aside: "What do ya mean? Don't crash on me like that!"

"We must get away as fast as possible!" The harsh pegasus kept on saying, pulling the farm mare by her tail to take her by the side street, opposite to the song.

Applejack was ready to give some thought through her leg to her friend when she noticed her hat lying down with no little sister around it. That's when she realized how the filly had already joined the parade, without waiting for her, and how much she herself wanted to go. Then a little hurt from her tail reminded her to get free of her friend's catch, she whipped the straw tail then retreated with the sky blue mare some more, her sight to the street where she knew her sister was. She wanted to know what was going on.

So did Dash, and she explained how she and Fluttershy had found Lyra approaching the town with that instrument, playing her happy tone. The creamy pegasus had gone to say hello and then suddenly "she began to follow her blindly!" As did everypony getting near her, more and more from the whole town and the pegasus admitted, she herself had had to go to some extremes to not get caught in.

"I get your point" Applejack affirmed, holding Dash down as the smiling pegasus was scrubbing the ground to join the parade. "But that doesn't tell me what's going on!"

"Trouble! That's what's going on!"

Trouble, her sister was in trouble, immediately the cowmare thought to go in and find her, then remembered what Rainbow Dash had said, to stay away. And at the same time she wondered, how it could be trouble since the music was so joyful, those ponies so happy, and she wanted to go in and find her sister to join the fun. She shook her head, smacked it with a hoof then looked around, a bit distressed. All the ponies she could see, that hadn't join the street, were on their way to, not one seeming to mind.

The blue pegasus had took off, hovering near her friend the sky blue mare yelled, what they were going to do, and she was putting her hooves on her ears to try and not hear the music, in vain. Her whole body was jolting with the hum, her mind unable to think of anything else. She screamed as loudly as she could. "I can't take it!" Rainbow Dash burst, stretched and got taken down again by her brave friend. She yelled to get released, that she wanted to join the parade and Applejack, doubting, let go of her grasp for a moment. She watched the rainbow mane mix with the crowd, barrell over their heads then get hidden by the houses.

"What... happened?" The cowmare murmured for herself.

She was already walking back towards the street, not even sure why, not really conscious of it. It was fascinating and, as the unicorn and her instrument were getting farther away, the mare felt some fear to miss the moment.

She blinked. Before her just at her forehooves was the hat that her sister had let behind. Her eyes were fixed on the crowd of ponies, that more were joining, slowly getting away and she wanted to pace forward to joint them, felt the hat against her toe. "Applebloom" the thought flashed in the mare's head, as if a heartbeat. She shook a last time, took the hat, put it back in place then galloped away, clenching her teeth in hurt, and she repeated to herself as silly to her as it sounded that she would save her sister.

The library was there, quieter on this side of town, the music distant a happy tone adding to the green of leaves and bushes, the flowers on windows. While approaching the Golden Oak the mare couldn't get to put two thoughts together, wishing only one thing before she would give in, and that was to alert Twilight.


	37. All so simple

On the desk were piled and massed books of spells, counter-spells, failsafe spells, protections, shields and antimagic, books of wrinkled covers without names and the many hoovescripts within which the ink had dried. And there were more here in her room where daylight was the weakest, leaving shades on the sides to fade. The window was open, the broom in his claws Spike almost danced, made it fly on the floor and skim the working place in a slim puff of dust. He almost whistled while at work, turned on himself in a little spin and gave a fin for the faint music playing outside. It was less than a murmur filling the air.

Leaving his broom the baby dragon inspected the walls, the furniture, the beds. All was quite clean, quite neat in the light. There lacked nothing but a mare, so he approached the window to lean and listen to the town, to that tone afar and he sighed.

Then only did he notice Applejack with her Stetson hat in her teeth running wild towards the library, tail whipping the air in her gallop, somewhat distressed. The hat was hanging close to her forelegs, threatening to make her trip. He took no more peek, left the window and rushed to the stairs, reached them the moment the brave mare opened the entrance wide and plunged right through, in a final leap, right on the wooden floor. From the upper steps of the stair Spike watched her get up, look around to the shelves, under the table, lift the chess game to check under it. "Twilight !" She called and her voice was joyous.

"She's outside!" Spike called her, finally getting her attention and he noticed her warm smile. "She went to check on the music thing, while I have to stay here with Victory."

And the dragon pouted, crossed his arms. He had looked away, glanced at the mare who had barely listened. She was still trotting around, trying to figure out between the rows of books where her magical friend could be hiding. It took a few more seconds when she finally realized, took her muzzle away from the books :

"She went to check the music!"

He wasn't sure if that was a question, once down the stairs the dragon was about to answer when he saw her leap to the door, skid fast and turn, as if still looking. Her smile was somehow nervous, somewhat not.

"Ya stay there! No going outside, no music! Close them windows like the sandmare wanted in."

And she was still looking, Applejack was still looking for Twilight somewhere on the ceiling, on the wood of walls and around until she faced the outside. "What is going-" Spike watched her leave in a sudden gallop, so fast that she had barely taken time to put her hat back on her slightly disheveled mane. And he couldn't help but feel like she was having fun. The young dragon couldn't help but feel cast aside from something great. "-on" he finished in the empty library, facing the open door and the music so appealing outside, like a party.

He went to the door, felt his heart pounding. Going out, disobeying, but he shut the door and, he thought, he should have felt sad but couldn't. There was something really happy floating around, as he approached another window to close it. There was something really happy keeping his spirits up and high.

"Eh" he suddenly noticed, his eyes catching the chess board and its pawns in a mess, "She didn't ask about Victory." And he felt relieved, went to put the game away.

She was running straight towards the music and she repeated, as a far stretched leitmotiv, "it's to find Twilight! It's to find Twilight!" A voice hardly convincing as she approached. Colts and fillies had almost filled the mane place, facing the Town Hall most ponies were there dancing and clapping at the performance. The cowmare slowed down, saw those pegasi flying low and hovering, so happy, she was feeling so happy, she looked desperately at the last ranks for a purple leg or a dark and striped tail to catch.

There she was, her unicorn friend barely emerging from the crowd, pressing towards the center and her horn tipped still over those manes, then disappeared. "Twilight!" Applejack screamed so happy to see her, and her ideas were overlapping furiously. She yelled louder, "Twilight!" and didn't dare make one more step towards the crowd, towards the music that made her thrill.

In a sort of hurry the mare looked around, locks of her straw mane flying on her face and she didn't care, she caught sight of an overhang and not even knowing what she had in mind, almost instinctively the cowmare ran to it. She bit the chord decorating it, the slightly lighter chord she had thrived for, and pulled it, taking the whole overhang down. Ponies around her, for the few still walking to the crowd, didn't even notice.

Her knot done Applejack checked those head again, tried to catch amongst horns the most purple one. It felt like a game, it felt like she was playing, she had almost forgot why she was doing that. There afar, at the center of the place, the musician had been lifted on a pedestal of some sort and was playing in plain sight.

She caught the horn, threw her chord and pulled. A little yelp emerged, and as she pulled she saw a mare dragged by her caught leg. It wasn't Twilight Sparkle, it wasn't even a unicorn, by the time the cowmare noticed she had dragged her close enough to notice how that mare barely cared, simply asked to be freed. "Sorry" she answered, obliging, then looked again and at the first guess, not even a horn but sharp cut hair she wasn't sure were even the right color, she threw her lasso again.

All this time the music had played, so close and so joyful, that her body danced each time she was pausing to aim. Each time she was pulling the wrong mare, she couldn't help it but raise her head to listen, and she was blind to everything else. It took her a second, and another, and then another to guess that the giggle under her hooves, from this caught mare looking happily at her, like a little filly, was the right one. Twilight Sparkle chuckled behind her two hooves on her muzzle, and she was still on her back, looking straight at her friend.

"Twilight! Finally!" Applejack was marveled by her own voice. "Am I glad to see ya! There is something with the music!"

"I know!" Twilight answered in a such a warm smile. "The instrument is enchanted, it makes you feel so very very very happy! I feel like a foal again!"

"So what do we do?" The brave mare grinned in return.

"Join the others of course!" Twilight's face with her eyes close was adorable.

And Applejack nodded, so happy suddenly, not just happy but happy as the last of her worry vanished. "Sure thing!" and she helped her friend get up, rushed past her as they galloped right into the crowd so she could open them a way through it. The chord was left behind, into the street, the knot slightly undone. No more pony was coming in, as if the whole town had joined around the cheerful notes.

With her friend at her tail the farm mare got her way, and she was striding, hopping a bit in rhythm, lulling her head. She asked for Applebloom and quickly got a direction, followed ever more towards the center. There was the unicorn, her coat a magical green so light it seemed to float, and she seemed to dance too as the little lyre hovered around, chords plucked incessantly. "Applejack!" Her little sister called from over the crowd and she emerged, her red ribbon clearly visible. Then she got even a little higher and as they danced their way towards her the two mares noticed the pink legs and mane carrying the filly.

There was the musician, the unicorn on a single hind leg as, face pleased, she played her music and spun. Acclamations, cheers, all erupted at her magic. The crowd was flowing, waves of dances as they pressed around her. The white streaks of her bristle were the score whipping before them. She was angelic, her horn glowing as the mare opened her eyes on her public, and the public treaded upon her art, and she had the largest, warmest smile of all.

Then she got taken down.

All had happened fast, a mare hopping over the crowd, happily, straight towards the musician and jumping right on her for embrace. They had fallen together, taking the pedestal of ponies at the same time, and for a second ponies didn't realize that the music had stopped. The second later, all were silent. Then, like a wave of relief, most simply fell from exhaustion. "Thank Celestia!" Pinkie Pie yelled and fell on her back. As pegasi landed, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack watched each other, and their other friends, and they all wondered what had happened.

The instrument was on the ground, just near the fallen unicorn. "Please, stand back!" Twilight's voice succeeded to make the ponies who had approached give some space. Rainbow Dash landed near, her wings aching, just beside the mare who had ended the party. Three sweets on her coat, the culprit got up and proud of herself, went to poke the head of the unconscious musician. "Help?" Yelped the little voice of Fluttershy still crushed under the unicorn.

"Fluttershy, are you alright?" The young student asked while all mares helped her escape.

"I don't know..." the creamy pegasus was lost. "There was music, and I was happy, and I wished it would never end..."

"Say, Twilight!" The clear voice of Rarity interrupted, "what should we do with this?"

The white mare was pointing disparagingly at the instrument. That got Fluttershy to move and stand up, curious, to approach that lyre that she had seen float forever over her head. She took it between her hooves and both her and Rarity looked at Twilight.

"I guess it's fine." The student proposed. "As long as nopony plays it."

Around her ponies exhausted were lying or walking around, at a loss, and she was like them, as if emptied. But she was surrounded by friends and felt them counting on her. She approached the unconscious unicorn, watched her sleep so calmly now, then looked at this friend who had ended it all. "Do you know what happened?" She asked and before she was even finished she suddenly shuddered, fear engulfing her every parts at the first played notes.


	38. Red hooves

Ponies hearts were beating at the first note, at those following, slow and cranky the music spread like wind, made them falter. As it grew and grew their eyes wider were fixed on the young pegasus playing, lyre against her chest as her hoove skimmed the chords, touched them in little spasms. She was horrified, she was watching herself playing and at her side her unicorn friend motionless, mouth open where no voice was left, in a shriek. There was silence over the music, then one yelp, hooves stomping nervously, as suddenly the crowd broke into a stampede of panic.

Desperately the shy pegasus looked around and her pink smooth mane whipped her face, she could see only chaos around her. Her eyes trembled, she was begging, and as her sight fell on Twilight, she begged to be stopped.

"Fluttershy!" Twilight's voice was distressed. "Stop!"

It was almost a supplication, adding distress to the distress of the shy Fluttershy who pleaded, stammering: "I... I can't!" And then: "Somepony, anypony, help!" Her own tone was almost extinct, wiped by the notes growing louder and louder over the panic. Only Twilight remained as her other friends couldn't help but gallop but anywhere and blindly, Pinkie Pie shrieked: "This is terror!" And dug a hole in which to put her head. Ponies were shoved, rushing wild and stumbling. And Twilight Sparkle, in the middle of this, her gaze still on the shy creamy friend, was breathing hard, was unable to react.

Applejack caught her, almost pushed her but with both hooves on her shoulders, shook the studient mare as if a tree: "It's happening again! What do we do?!" And Twilight just as loudly, in screams: "I don't know! I'm too panicked to think!" The moment her eyes had left Fluttershy, nothing was left in her but fear.

Both scrambled to flee, leaving the pegasus behind, away from the music. They didn't hear Fluttershy yelling, only how strong the notes were, and how weak they felt this instant. Nearest to them was the Town Hall, ignored by the crowd, where the lavander mare diverted her friend and ran, to crash against its closed doors. Applejack after her gave a kick, opened them in a thud and both of them entered in a hurry, smashed the doors shut, held them tight. They heard knocks, voices terrified behind then it went away.

"We can't stay there, we must-" Applejack got interrupted, just as she had turned her head she had met with a hanging spider: "Spider!" And the brave pony screaming in a high pitch broke the window to flee.

Twilight, left behind, looked around for nothing. The music was playing, even inside, and the sounds of panic echoed even there from the outside, from the window broken. She looked around and saw the balcony, the most celestial one. Something told her to go there, the memory, maybe, of princess Celestia. She ran, without a thought, galloped as fast as she could, went upstairs and breathless, her legs flickering, the mare shook her tears away, made it to the balcony.

All she found was the music, playing here as everywhere, and between the curtains a tiny stoneheaded statue, along with a wooden train. Her legs failed, she found herself down and curlep up, closed her eyes shut then begged for the music to stop. But a thought occurred, that she wasn't crying. She could hear the beats of her heart, slowing down, then the shivers along her back, her bristle bristled. As fearful as she was, Twilight Sparkle felt safe here, behind this balcony. The music playing outside seemed just some music and slowly, very slowly, it seemed to flow back. "Fluttershy!" The student gasped, remembering her friend outside. And, terrified, the little pony curled up some more to whisper how sorry she was.

Then, fear suddenly became sadness. For seconds the young mare thought it was hers, before noting that the music had changed. And, as harshly, the music stopped.

All fear, all sadness immediately vanished, leaving only exhaustion behind. Strained, Twilight opened her eyes, realized how silent all was. She looked at the shadows behind the balcony, at the curtains then at the wooden train and, beside it, the tiny statue of Spike's head, grossly cut. But her mind was for Fluttershy. After a glance at the empty Hall the mare ran down and to the doors, to the broken windows to look at the main place.

In just minutes, the center of Ponyville had turned to devastation. Before doors and shutters shut the plants had been stamped on, the dirt strayed. Ponies were erring, still distressed, shadows of themselves. But the panic had left and despite the poles taken down, the lamps broken, the town was returning to normal. Going out through the broken window, carefully Twilight approached where she had left Fluttershy, where most ponies had grouped, her friends already there, with little talks only.

In the middle of the circle of ponies was Fluttershy, and before Fluttershy the blazing mare. Coat ablaze, her mane trailing warm to white, at the student's arrival Victory turned her two eyes, her two dull and inexpressive eyes to her. She was holding the instrument in her mouth. Down before her, as if beaten, Fluttershy was crying. The young pegasus had her two hooves over her muzzles, trying to hide the tears.

After a second, choosing to ignore Victory the purple unicorn went to her friend: "Fluttershy, are you okay?"

"No I am not!" She cried. "I was so scared!"

"And that's fine" Pinkie Pie patted her, her muzzle still holding some dirt. "So, who plays next?"

"Nopony" Dash cut sharp, banishing the idea with her forelegs. "If this keeps going on, we'll soon all be six feet under the nearest lake!"

Scoffing a tad at the bookish reference, Twilight returned to the instrument. Now quiet, the lyre seemed as normal as could be, a simple object without even a spark of magic. She focused on it, careful not to use her horn, and trying to avoid the two eyes looking away. She wondered aloud, what it could be, or where it could come from. "I can answer that" a voice answered from behind, and as she turned she saw the unicorn and her pale green coat, awake although ruffled, with her hoof raised.

It was coming from the Everfree Forest. The woods tall and thick opened before the group of friends, extended its grasp almost uncontrolled over the fresh grass. Leading the group of friends, Lyra stopped near a rock that she pointed. This was where she had found the stallion asleep, and near him at not two hooves of distance the instrument. The rest was obvious, so as she went to explaining it yet another time, a bit excited, the rest of the group proceeded to look around for clues. Only Rarity would look at the quiet town behind them, Ponyville looking quiet as if nothing had happened.

"Really girls, we should just bury it under some rock and leave."

"No" Twilight answered. "Somepony could still find it, or there could be other instruments."

And Dash: "So? With Victory here, it's not like it matters."

The blazing mare had strayed from the group, the lyre in her mouth, to look down to the south, at the plains afar. A slight breeze was stroking her bristle. Twilight caught it, then caught Fluttershy watching the blazing mare too, her eyes still trembling. So the student shook her mane and told them to keep searching. She went to some bushes, opened them and stood there for a second, her face a bit stern. "Well, nothing there." Applejack turned, surprised by the tone of her friend.

But before the brave mare could care she heard some tiny screams just in front of her hooves, gasped when she saw the squirrel frantically waving its paws. "Uh, Fluttershy?" She asked as the animal climbed her blond mane to get more attention. The creamy pegasus, as if taken away from some daydream, approached and listened to the critter on Applejack's back.

"Oh." She smiled after a few squeaks. "He says he and his friends have seen everything and can tell us exactly and in great details absolutely all that has happened here!"

Other critters appeared on branches, and from bushes, one marmot before Twilight's snout. Their presence somehow enlightened the dark woods, making the group grin.

"Also, they can lead us to where the instrument is coming from."

Learning it was deep into the forest, for a moment Twilight had pondered. But it was not even midday and the rat on fluttershy's head seemed eager to help, grasping locks of her pink mane to guide her. She turned to tell Victory to come, only to see her already on her way, plunging into the Everfree without an afterthought. Quickly the group caught on her and Fluttershy, followed close by the studious mare, strode towards some path in the tall herbs.

There was some uneasiness, as they progressed Twilight could hear her friends joke and discuss, wonder what they could find, and what had happened, the cowmare not too eager to remember the details. Time and time again Pinkie couldn't help but ask Victory about this and that, until Dash erupted: "Pinkie, she doesn't want to talk!" and that was what most struck the purple mare, how a few steps behind Celestia's knight was silent, the instrument in her mouth, and how her eyes had to be fixed straight on the student. She got a thrill, asked Fluttershy if they were still far, to which the rat simply squeaked loudly.

"He says the cave is here."

The troup stopped before a cliff, stone steep with no way up. No cave either, Dash noticed, and the rat like every other animal that had accompanied them, including the hedgehog on Lyra's back, were at a loss. But Victory paced forward, and as she approached, before she even touched the surface, before her a large part of the cliff turned wide: the webs appeared, thick and tangled, covering the entrance of the magically hidden cave. Immediately the group wanted to enter, Twilight first when she turned at Fluttershy's call. She was down, several critters holding her hind leg.

"I... think they don't want us to enter." She suggested.

Twilight nodded: "I will go with Victory. You girls make sure the entrance stays clear." She turned to Victory who, with her forehoof, was slashing the webs, opening a narrow path. "She is a knight so, I'll be safe!" And with that excuse over all of her excuses the young student went into the shadows of the cave, lighting it with a spell. Her true motive was that she wanted to be alone with the blazing mare.


	39. Don't let her

Deep in the dark those walls wet were less scary than the thrill Twilight felt each time her sight would turn to the blazing mare. Some light from the entrance still pierced behind, away and weak, where she could hear her friends still talking. The student focused on her pace, as much as on her feeble light glowing on the rocks and dirt, on the hooked roots reached from below as if claws sharp. She could hardly see what was before her, not farther than a meter or two, after which it was pitch black. And yet, pressed by the pace of the knight mare, both almost strode deeper in the cave to nowhere.

All the way down were cracks on all sides, worrying the ponies that this grotto could crumble, and yet the tight space showed signs of centuries, moss thick under the spider webs ever more present, left alone, deserted. The strongest sound echoing were the heavy hooves of Victory striding strong and defiant, and the young mare wondered, as she herself stepped carefully in the low light, why her companion was walking like this. Pride, or something else entirely, she didn't know, refused to glance over her shoulder and at another corner, the entrance now hidden, the unicorn slowed her pace.

She wanted to breathe, and she wanted to ask, but hesitated. Looked around at the cave still, then after a few seconds: "Victory?"

The blazing mare mumbled in return.

"I wanted to-" Twilight got cut by the loud scream of Pinkie Pie resonating against the walls, yelling: "Are you alright down there?" She sighed and answered, as loudly as she could, that they were.

They were also still too close to the entrance she felt, and with her whole carefully prepared lecture cut fast the studious mare decided to keep on going, leave that for another occasion. There was still this feeling, of Victory behind her, cold and silent, as if a threat, and her heavy hooves had slowed too.

"You think I have no feelings," the old voice of the mare mumbled, holding the lyre.

Both stopped, Twilight Sparkle turning fully to face the two inexpressive eyes, trying to catch anything. She wasn't able to tell if that had been an affirmation, a question or anything, but the two dull eyes fixed the instrument before coming back to her, and the unicorn thought it was a question after all.

"You have a lot of feelings" she comforted, "it's just… Victory, about Fluttershy…" And very quickly, in a rush: "I know you wanted to do the right thing! But…"

But she had said what was on her heart, and Victory was stunned. She didn't move, firmly on her hooves, simply fixed the studious mare and her mane cut sharp in the dark, the horn flowing with her stumbling words. The musical instrument slipped from her mouth, fell on the ground and eyes wide, the blazing knight fretted to pace back, but couldn't. And Twilight, at her reaction, as she kept trying to ease her question, was making it more and more sound like the accusation it was, what she knew had happened.

Moments after the instrument had fallen, with almost no sound but its wood touching the mud and rock of the cavern, movement formed from the cracks, as if a swarm. Their ears rose high at the deep scrubbing that grew around them, hundreds of little noises that appeared on the walls, as if stains of black spreading fast. They come to light, tiny thin legs on black bodies of fur invading the webs of the cave, dozens of spiders attracted around the two mares.

Twilight looked around frantically, even more surprise by Victory's calm who hadn't moved the slightest, even as spiders ran near her toes. For herself the young mare was trying to refrain her fears, watching all the tiny beasts creep around and over the instrument, touching its shape, skimming its chords. And she noticed how her sight kept going back and back to the lyre, how her foreleg wanted to reach for it. She refrained, focused and her light spell got stronger, illuminating dozens and dozens more of spiders beside and above them. The unicorn was casting the light, as if fire to keep the creatures away, as a reaction, when suddenly her light vanished, leaving her in complete darkness.

Victory had made one step, just one, her toe striking against the rock under her and at that spiders had wavered, straying and fleeing everywhere to the cracks and disappear. It was dark and in that dark the studious mare, a bit agitated, was looking everywhere, spinning on place to make sure spiders wouldn't get on her.

"Victory! Stop that!" She blamed.

"What." The cold voice of Victory asked, and Twilight too busy making sure the swarming sounds had lowered to nothing, that the spiders were gone, simply tried to cast her light spell again, to just feel her horn as cold as ice, numb. It felt horrible, so she stepped back, took distance from the blazing mare until a spark erupted, and slowly the glow came back, until she could see her hooves, then the ground, then the cave.

And she saw Victory, the blazing mare poking the ground for the instrument. She saw the old mare touch it, take it with her mouth, then raise her head and her eyes straight weren't looking at the student, until a breath betrayed her position. The obvious came to her, that the light was magical. Why had she thought that Victory could see her light.

A shrill voice echoed from deeper in the cave, muffled by the distance: "Who is there? Hello? Please, come, don't mind my children!"

The high-pitched voice continued, rambling almost as if for herself, going on and on to fill the silence. Twilight released her breath, waved for Victory to follow her then realized: "Let's go" she encouraged the blazing mare.

As cracks went wider, opening to the point that the walls turned to pillars, webs formed large surfaces on which her glow played little lights like stars. The young unicorn was fascinated, mostly fascinated and now that she could see the spiders quiet, glimmering at they passed by, she only cared for the odd beauty of this cavern. The voice had lowered as they closed, until they faced a cavity white and white where the magical light cut eight thin legs hanging and the shadowy body of Widowline.

"Excuse me?" Twilight interrupted as the spider repeated, for the fourth time, her own name.

"Oh, there is really somebody!" The spider rejoiced, her whole body thrilling. "And a lovely voice at that! But what do I hear?"

And the spider went down from her web, caught herself on the ground, now easily three times as tall as the unicorn. In the darkness, it was hard to tell anything but the thick fur on the spider's body, except for the mandibles that chattered constantly, excited.

"Such magnificent chords!" And the spider approached, swift, making Twilight gasp. "And you brought back my instrument! Oh, dear, I feared I had lost it for good! My children have missed her sweet lulling…"

"Oh, this lyre is yours? Well, I'm glad-"

"But they are so mesmerizing! Please, I have to touch them!" And the spider moved forth even more, dominating Twilight fully. She was about to fall back when the unicorn felt like… giggling, so amused, hilarious, and she began laughing. Then as the spider's legs seemed to wave and work over her the young pony felt at calm, so calm she could fall asleep, her thoughts at ease. "Such lovely chords!" Widowline commented.

"Chords?" Twilight asked as she felt energized, high in spirits.

"Your emotional chords of course! They are so bright, so clear, like those of a princess!"

And the young unicorn, feeling in love with any and everything as the spider raised kept playing over her back, simply moaned in pleasure and gave a silly smile. She didn't hear the heavy hooves stepping forth, adamant, but the spider did. "Leaue hir!" the blazing mare threatened, and Twilight's eyes widened. As the spider fell back literally, her huge furry belly rolling before the lavender pony, she felt as if a last chord had been strung, deep in her heart. Spiders everywhere suddenly scattered, swarming in disarray. The voice of Widowline was stammering, in disbelief:

"Who? The falling star! It can't be!" Twilight was retreating towards the blazing mare. "No! Please, I beg of you, I hurt nobody! Don't tell Cerberus, don't bring me back! My sisters are unbearable!"

"What's going on?!" The studious mare was frightened.

"Yow" Victory growled. "I wit yow."

"The two stars! You are the two stars!" The spider had gotten up, now bowing before them. "Please please please! I will be quiet! You will never notice me! I will do anything! I beg you, don't tell Cerberus, mercy!"

Only this last word finally allowed Twilight Sparkle to barely understand what was happening before her. But her light spell had flickered to nothing, leaving barely any glow, only shapes of pillars and the swarm of spiders, hundreds and hundreds of them around. She tried to think fast, but simply overwhelmed: "Quick, let's get out of here!" She wanted to whisper, said loudly to the blazing mare. And the mare, dark in the dark, facing the gigantic spider, had the bristle rough, her legs ready to leap. Only when Twilight insisted, her voice trembling, did the blazing mare listen. Behind them the voice of Widowline kept on going, pleading for them not to harm her and her children.

Before them the way was barred, webs after webs woven on their path that the hoof of Victory slashed and cut easily. Spiders covered the walls, crept on the ground and she felt some falling on her mane. She shrieked, the young mare, galloped head on caring for nothing but for her friends. She wanted out, she wanted the sunlight, away from this cave. The webs thicker and thicker began to cover her coat, the roots trapped her hooves, but there was the light at the entrance, and those familiar voices.

She emerged first, shook and turned as the group gathered around her. "What happened?" Rarity asked for all of them, critters worried too. But Twilight was focused on the entrance only, fearing to see the swarm of spiders escape. Things outside were quieter, through the voices of her friends she only heard a sound of hooves, heavy, striding from within the cave. Victory appeared, and immediately her eyes fell on Twilight.

They were inexpressive, two dull eyes simply turned on her and yet, she felt threatened.


	40. Resolutions

Late evening came and with it the first dim lights on windows, waiting for darkness to make them bright. Foliages full of shades replayed the Everfree over the strong scent of flowers that had basked all day, that the cold air would soon disperse. Even the night would seem quiet, with its half moon at half height and one by one, as if shy, the very first stars. She was searching, ears high, desperately for one.

And for the fourth time in the cozy light of the library, Twilight was reminded that the spider was named Widowline. Her friends grouped were still sitting comfortably on the cushions put around as Spike, diligently, distributed cookies. He added, for the group, that this spider of theirs didn't sound very threatening.

"But she is" the young student stressed. "Haven't you heard what Victory said?"

The unicorn paced round, stopping from time to time to take glances at the mares relaxing and discussing casually, more of the games to come than of the events. There was her will in her stride, yelling mute yells that this was important but instead she would just wait and keep pacing. She could feel it, she couldn't explain the tale confided, how horrible things would become. What worried her most was what eased her friends, that Celestia was about to answer her studen'ts call, and all were keeping check on the baby dragon's breath.

A long and piercing cry caught them off guard, made them turn at the door open. It seemed as if the day had come back, dawn flowing in shaped by two wings and a body of flames, Spike plunged head first as the phoenix skimmed him and illuminated the room, the shelves, the mares. The bird then landed on the head of the wooden statue, at the very center and facing the fascinated ponies. Dash grunted, "show off!" as the others pressed to welcome the princess's pet. Twilight Sparkle first, getting in between, told them to give space "and also look away." The next second, they were all blind, until the light gave way to the pure shape of the princess.

"Princess Celestia!" The student welcomed and bowed, followed by her friends. Pinkie Pie, skeptical, approached and, focused, waved her hoof through the silhouette.

"It is good to see you all" the warm and tender voice of the princess answered, Celestia patting the pink fluffy mane with the magical hoof. "Although" she shied, "it is a bit embarrassing to be seen talking alone."

The mares giggled, then went on to repeat all that had happened, from the lyre to the spider, to what happened after and what Victory had said. How the spider couldn't come from Tartarus. Because Tartarus was closed, locked by seven chains, the blazing mare was certain of it. "It has been sealed?" Luna's voice, surprised, interrupted from nowhere. Celestia turned her head, motioned for her sister to stay quiet then returned to her student.

"Victory is right. Tartarus was... sealed." She chose this last word.

"But I went to Tartarus" the student attempted to argue. "There was no chain!"

"That's because I removed them."

Luna's strangled scream made a few of the mares shiver. Suddenly the discussion wasn't between them and the princess anymore, but between the two sisters, and the spell weakened to let them talk in rumors, faint voices that the mares tried to piece together. Not once did Celestia's face even show an instant of hesitation. When it seemed to calm she returned to her student and the group circled behind her. Despite the magic the princess looked pure and majestic, magnificent.

"I opened the gates of Tartarus centuries ago. Only rare creatures escape, among the most inoffensive, and even they stay hidden from Cerberus's grasp. You have nothing to fear from this... Widowline. Actually" she smiled, "she might be friendly."

But the young unicorn wasn't listening anymore. She was still trying to grasp the idea, that the princess had opened way for monsters to escape and lay waste on Equestria. She was blinking, she was unable to react. Only Fluttershy intervened, with her little voice: "she isn't, your majesty." And, gathering some strength, the young pony explained how she had felt, playing this horrible music, and how Twilight had been trapped and manipulated between those hairy spider legs. The shy pegasus was pawing the ground at the memory. Her look was painful to see.

"Well it wasn't that tragic" Rarity defended, but even she didn't insist as the other mares added their voices, and all repeated what Twilight had concluded, how dangerous and manipulative that monster was. How easily Ponyville could have vanished this very day. It seemed a chorus behind the only silent mare, Twilight Sparkle still held in her thoughts, and affected, feeling deep inside how right she was to worry.

"I... I don't understand." Twilight finally said. "Why open Tartarus? Who would do such a thing?"

The princess smiled, was about to answer when her sight went over their heads, to the doors and to the blazing mare. Victory was standing, silent, all ears, and her two purple eyes were dim diamonds fixed on nothing. The mare approached, her heavy hooves striking the wood, making the mares give her some space. Her pace was slow, her head strong and silent. She reached the student's height, glanced at the unicorn and, as if Celestia wasn't there:

"Telle me." She ordered. "Hes me to louken the dores."

Taken aback, the young student turned to Celestia whose expression hadn't changed, one of calm and stern serenity. Only the princess sight had lowered, thoughts veiling it. So Twilight returned to the old mare and her rough blazing coat. Two seconds, three seconds, her friends were reacting, asking what was going on. They, too, wondered why Victory was acting as if Celestia didn't even exist. But Twilight finally remembered her light in the cave, almost felt guilty to have forgotten it. "I... will ask the princess" she swiftly said and turned to Celestia again.

"No" Celestia muttered and, the moment the student's face reflected that answer Victory's voice repeated, to give her that order. "Please, Twilight Sparkle." Celestia's voice was concerned. "Dissuade her."

But the student had realized: "Victory, are you saying you can close Tartarus?" The idea was whirling in her head. "You... were the one who closed it the first time?!"

"Leue worne stounde bihinde." And the mare, harshly: "Hes me."

Then Victory repeated, "hes me" but her head turned towards the table, towards the flaming bird and somewhat on Celestia. Her two eyes, inexpressive, were pleading, and Celestia's resolute expression wavered. Worse was the look of Twilight, distressed by the very thought that: she wanted to. That all of her feelings, all of them, were telling her to at least convince the princess to. And her friends echoing her trouble, Dash simply way too lost to even react, offered expressions for the princess to give in.

"Victory?" Pinkie Pie poked the mare's side. "Are you sure you want to do... whatever that is you want to do?"

The mare didn't look away from the princess. "I am myn Queene's knyghte."

"Uh Twilight, care to explain?" Dash resorted to ask.

All the student truly knew was, Victory would close Tartarus. Seal beasts away, keep ponies from harm. And that was all she could think of, all she could grasp, all she could care. The tale stopped, and wouldn't tell what answer she gave. But Celestia, closing her eyes, and lowering the head, eventually allowed Victory to depart. In her voice was something sad, as if she had lost something dear and precious.

The moment Twilight repeated, that she would go, Victory seemed hit. Her legs, her hooves heavy and strong on sharp toes striked for balance, and for a whole second the blazing mare held back a shivering. Eyes were blank, searching for nothing until she recovered, looked straight into Twilight Sparkle then walked away. As she departed the young unicorn wanted to turn to Celestia but gasped, as on the table was only Philomena, fluttering her wings, and even the phoenix feathers were small flames. The princess had vanished, the spell broken, they could almost feel a void where she had been.

"Who should we fear again?" Applejack asked in all honesty, after whistling at the performance.

"Twilight, darling" Rarity didn't even seem to care for what had happened. "Are you sure you are alright? You seem nervous, and I mean, far more nervous than usual."

Of course she was nervous Twilight thought aloud, because of that monster near Ponyville, and because of the thought of every last worst monster of Equestria about to rampage free. She was feeling as if the floor would disappear under her hooves. But it was more, far more that she simply couldn't understand, and she stressed, but almost embraced the gracious unicorn asking: why did Celestia open the gates. And she gasped again, realizing that the princess had undone what Victory had probably done. "So yes", she repeated, she had each and every good reasons to be very nervous.

That's when Spike, left out of the discussion, screamed. They turned to him, Dash at his side in the second, then giggling. He had spotted a tiny spider on the window, simply there to make her web, and with all those stories the baby dragon had thought it was that Widowline coming. They all joked at his fears, all but Twilight.

Outside the sun had almost disappeared, Victory was pacing among the streets, towards the city hall. Only she stopped and look at that fainting light, the last rays of day disappearing, leaving way to the half moon. It was officially night time, with lamps and insects as only presences as Ponyville went to sleep. The horizon of hills and mountains showed only dark lines on those dark of her body, cut sharp in the street, and she grunted. Away, behind roofs of thatch, was the foliage of the library.

"Eh Victory!" Pinkie Pie sprung at her side, grinning. "You went so fast, I didn't get to say good night!"

"Sche seyde yes."

"You are talking all funny again!" The pink mare chuckled. "Eh!" And she rubbed her cheek on Victory's: "Don't worry about Twilight! It's so cute when you are all protective with her but you don't need to!"

After a second trying to get what Pinkie had possibly meant, the blazing mare pushed her away, a bit rudely, then paced away. She only broke the silence to say: "I hatie hir." with the coldest, angriest voice the beginning of the night would carry. Left behind, the pink mare chuckled under her hooves.

* * *

**So yeah. I cut sharply in Widowline's speech - she was the one meant to reveal who opened the gates - and Victory was meant to see Celestia but refuse to recognize her. This version is... more telling. By now you should see that this fic' is not just about Victory.**

**The very first time I imagined the fic'... Victory was a crystal pony, okay, but I also wanted an adventurous part where Victory would accomplish feats. Then I planned it to Tartarus. Even with Widowline I needed a "real" threat - you've probably found it already. Again, this fic' is not just about Victory.  
**

**And that explains why it took me three months to "recover" from three seconds of the show.**


	41. Leave this past

I recognized this window lit the whole night, sole star after dark despite the fatigue, but just a glimpse of Victory's tale. A leaden weight was enduring when morning came, when the tired unicorn left her library, Spike on her back. She had had neither sleep nor answers and her stride was uncomfortable, quiet in the quiet streets as dawn lasted in its strained reds. When she entered the City Hall, she wondered what to tell Victory, only to meet her friends and no burning mane. "She's at the spa!" Rarity answered the puzzled question of the assistant.

As Spike kept asking, somewhat embarrassed by the idea the young student trotted to two crates in which Dash and Pinkie were rummaging, rubbing the metal plates with their muzzles. She recognized a seal from Canterlot, from a museum: "Cool, uh?" The fierce pegasus grinned, poking a silver helm. Then two more mares entered the hall, Fluttershy immediately surprised not to see Victory. "She's out to make herself marvelous" Rarity repeated and in her voice was some sort of renewed pride each time she could say it. Applejack along with her shy friend looked at the balcony, then at the window still broken and she offered an uneasy giggle.

"Oh, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie was holding one legplate on balance on her snout. "You said you wanted a way to protect Ponyville?" And when her friend kind of said yes: "I think I found the perfect match for your wish!"

Having waited for all of her friends to be there the fluffy pink mare insisted for them to follow her, since they would have a good hour or so before Victory would ever be back. That was mighty fine with Applejack who was already reaching for the door. Twilight, a bit lost, looked again at the balcony where the creamy pegasus had flown to look at the objects there, then hesitantly grasp the black cape. The call of the gracious stylist forced her to put it down and follow the group outside, behind the bouncy mare who explained thoroughly how she had found it, and her story lasted past the outskirts of the town.

It seemed like a stroll, only louder, enough to put the baby dragon with them into a nap. By the time they passed the low hill the sky had turned to bright colors, pegasi at work giving way for a sunny warmth. Clamors appeared, adding to Pinkie's story, and they saw the playfield with poles and white marks, and the dozens ponies training there hard under the monstrous yelling of their coach. Rarity fretted, asked Pinkie if she was serious, then all of the mares if they were seriously considering but they kept trotting towards the minotaur.

"Who called pussies onto my playfield?! No offense ladies" the minotaur added quickly, "All we need here is gut, sweat and the willpower of my pony winning team! You don't get that ball, you get that ball with rage!"

"Pinkie, are you certain?" Twilight couldn't help but ask.

At her question the minotaur turned, megaphone in paw, glared at them then yelled who the horn had come to disturb his champions training. He then noticed Fluttershy, fixed his tie, cleared his throat and yelled in the megaphone that it was okay this time. Already the ever joyful mare was bouncing around him, stopped to point to the beast with her hoof and she repeated what she had implied, that he would help protect Ponyville. All gave skeptical looks, including him who, with a low voice, said he had never agreed to anything like that.

"If I may…" The young pegasus went forth, albeit slowly. "Iron Will? Ponyville is in danger, and we really need help. You see, there is a spider…"

She continued, but the beast had stopped, just gazing, then went into the laugh of a whale, followed by Spike's. Even when they added it was a big spider the minotaur couldn't stop, except to turn to his players and yell some so they keep training. He then came back to the mares and to Twilight Sparkle who had added her voice trying to persuade him, approaching the megaphone he yelled:

"You want Iron Will's help? Iron Will doesn't come cheap!" Which he followed by a few striking poses and phrases.

"Okay, how much?" Twilight cut him.

Again, the minotaur laughed for a short second or two. "Do you take Iron Will for a greedy beast?" They all nodded, leaving him to yell: he was already contracted to make Ponyville's ball team win, and that meant giving them high spirits. He needed cheerleaders performing for the players, a good show for a good match. His team would win, the town was safe, that was the deal and Iron Will cut air with his arms, this was non-negotiable.

The studious mare turned to her friends, "we don't have time for…" she stopped at their grins, even the shy mare kind of wanting in as Rainbow's face was almost pleading. "Come on!" Twilight attempted, the situation was serious, and they had lots of other things to do, like books to read, and she sighed at their insistence. Spike shrugged, it was a deal Pinkie Pie screamed and they all joyfully got excited around the stressed student.

She still didn't know how a minotaur would help, or why she had agreed to this, and her assistant reminded her that- "Angel?" The quiet voice of Fluttershy cut him. The white bunny was hopping right on their path back to Ponyville, agitated. He quickly made it to the creamy mare, squeaked, played chicken then pointed the Everfree Forest afar.

"Oh no! One of the chickens got lost!" The mare frightened, but the bunny's ears fell down. He smacked his face, then pointed both Rainbow Dash and the Everfree. "Dash got lost?" She shied at this assertion.

Again the lavender mare intervened, convinced that something horrible had happened and Angel hopped to approve. As he did, Applejack diverted her attention to two fillies wandering in the green grass away, and she got mad. "Applebloom?" She knew they were meant to be at school, and to her surprise the bunny rushed towards them, pulling all mares with him. Fluttershy took him and they caught the fillies who, seeing them approach, first hesitated then galloped towards them.

They were looking for Scootaloo, since the filly pegasus hadn't shown for school, with those stories of spiders and all they couldn't let a Crusader alone. That calmed the brave mare who, tipping her hat, simply scolded them to return to school before their teacher would notice. Which was way too late for that. "But Scootaloo?" The filly asked, worried, and the mares promised that they would find her. Angel, on Fluttershy's head, was still hopping and pointing at the Everfree Forest.

Once the fillies were far enough, running towards the school, Rainbow Dash told aloud what all were thinking: "Think she is in the Everfree?" They nodded, the studious unicorn in anguish. She was certain it was that spider, "Widowline" Rarity coldly pronounced.

"Let's go get her!" The fierce mare was about to soar.

"We can't!" The white pure mare stopped her friends. "We would miss Victory!"

She meant her departure, to save them from things, the unicorn felt like a duty to at least be there when the mare would leave. But Dash countered that saving a filly was more important, and besides the mare wouldn't leave without waiting for them. The contrary was obvious, and Twilight suddenly realized how the contrary was so obvious. She felt numb, a bit weak, looked around in fright. Victory was planning to leave without waiting for them: she was certain of it. "But the spa?" Rarity whinnied as she ran after her friends towards the train station.

There the tale somehow slowed, wondering why the tired unicorn would run so fast to catch the knight. She didn't want to. She had worried, the whole night, that the mare would ask her for friendship, for this impossible demand and so she herself had wished she would miss the departure, because she had no answer, not even hope to give. So the tale wondered, if it was really a bond of friendship that was making the dismayed mare gallop.

White smoke puffed over the station, wagons aligned with their doors shut. The passengers had already left, had already got aboard. It was about to leave. The group of friends pressed on, panting, reached the platform and immediately caught the silver glimmer of a cuirass, then the two dim, dull full eyes falling on them. "Victory!" The mares called, and to see her there, up on her four, facing the train and immobile, calmed their pace. Only Twilight felt suddenly embarrassed, almost fearing to be seen, and she slowed down almost to a halt and the group went forth without her to group around the blazing mare.

In this cuirass, the mare looked like some book illustrations. Sharp sparks blinded the sight when she moved even just the head, with plates on the neck, on the back, leaving most of her sides to mail. The student only caught, as the station chief yelled for departure, what looked like a tiny bulwark on the left forehoof. Victory wouldn't move, her eyes fixed on Twilight.

"Me?" The boyish voice of a mare answered, amused. "I am her squire!"

And the grey pegasus didn't care what this word could mean. The blazing mare grunted, forcing her to precise: she was there to carry stuff and the letters back for the princess, because she was very good with letters. She had no idea where they were going or why and she didn't mind, she was glad to help. The station chief repeated his call to embark, glanced at the group then waved his flag. The young pegasus proposed that they had to go and, carrying her saddlebags, she swiftly flew into the nearest wagon.

Victory was still looking at Twilight.

Then Dash reminded them that they had a filly to save, which made the mare's ears tilt, and the pegasus clopped the cuirass saying good luck and goodbye. Rarity followed, then the others, Pinkie Pie last asking her to give some news of her trip. Only the student hadn't said a word thus far. She approached, muzzle down, and she had no idea what to say. She knew what she needed to say, and couldn't bring herself to do it. Victory's hoof raised, ready to touch her forefront but stopped in midair. "Make sure Ponyville is there whan I come back" was all the blazing mare would say before walking silently in the whistling train, his wheels already moving to pull forward. It was departing and Twilight, as if stunned, gazed at the caboose going away.

She couldn't help but feel bad, and for a moment, horribly relieved too.


	42. Old acquaintance

Before them was the cliff rough and steep, "nope!" Applejack confirmed kicking it, "it's rock solid!" Where the cave should have been only stone was left, as if it never existed. Angel up on the pink smooth mane was as shocked as the mares, leapt down and tapped the ground, searched in vain. Around them thick trees were casting their shadows on the group, roots and branches wicked, distorted. Rainbow Dash proposed to use fire, still certain that they were at the right place, that those rocks were webs somehow. She wasn't going to give up. As her friends argued, Twilight Sparkle observed that gravelly surface and she repeated to herself, in thoughts, that they needed Victory. It was so insistent, so convincing that when Rarity asked if she had a spell to reveal the entrance, she couldn't think of one.

This was her fault she muttered, because she should have taken measures, alerted the citizens. She didn't know what to do and Spike on her back, a bit irked by her behavior, told her to pony up.

"Alright, I'm gonna get Winona, see if she can find a trail. Fluttershy, ya go ask critters for help." Applejack finally got some attention from her friends. "Twilight? Twilight?" She insisted until the unicorn turned to her. "Ya go back to school, make sure them fillies are safe." And the brave mare continued, for Rainbow Dash, leaving the studious mare a bit lost. She was watching the cowmare give instructions, feeling unsure, and her friends following as they could without much discussion. The baby dragon joked about that but Twilight didn't even seem to listen. Once she finally decided to depart, she gave a long look at the cliff then trotted away.

Only when she found herself alone, ambling in those woods, did she question Applejack's plan. She felt an urge to run but controlled herself, talked with Spike to calm her nerves. There was no path, only tall bushes, brambles and foliages hiding the daylight. The mare was looking around nervously, making her sharp mane flow and bristle. Everything dark was suspect, saying that the young mare went head on into an old web, shrieked and rolled on the ground. The baby dragon down on a shrub frowned. He was about to complain to a spider when he noted the spider near his cheek and got up quickly, waving his paws.

"Okay, this is spooky!" The dragon admitted, still rubbing his fins to make sure nothing was there. There was, another spider that quickly escaped.

In a blink Twilight teleported both herself and the dragon away, told him to get on her back then forced her way through the plants, towards the edge of the Everfree, running until the leaves gave way to some light. She was out, turned and looked at those woods, expecting something. All was calm for all she could tell, but she still shuddered. "See any spider?" She asked her assistant who, a bit nervous too, on the look-out on her head confirmed that he was seeing nothing. Now in the plain day the baby dragon proposed that it was just the forest that had played on their nerves. His voice was unsure, looking for comfort.

A bell reminded her of her destination. As noon approached the class was ending, leaving the fillies free to go back home. The studious mare trotted there, surprised by how much quiet and joyful Ponyville felt despite that danger lurking. She arrived as the flow of young ponies pressed on the steps, straying farther down the path towards the thatched houses. Cheerilee appeared after them, smiling, then was about to reenter when she caught the purple mare.

"Good day Twilight Sparkle" she greeted. "I heard Victory would leave us today. The fillies will miss her."

It was hard to tell if the news was good or bad for the teacher.

"She already left" Twilight answered, then "but there is more important. We think Scootaloo has been foalnapped."

The bright mare gasped, a hoof on her mouth. She wanted to know when and why, what they could do. Then, before the student could get to it, she feared for her other pupils. It took Spike to calm the cerise mare, make her admit that no other filly or colt was missing and that, most probably, spiders wouldn't come so far as the school. Still, the teacher decided to alert them and make sure they wouldn't wander alone, as well as warning their parents. When Twilight asked her to make sure no spider would be in or near the school Cheerilee added, without much attention, "of course, that too" and went to her duties.

So did the student, "come on Spike!" she ordered to the dragon on her back before trotting towards the library. Her assistant guessed they were going to read books about eight legged creatures but she shook her head. "A spell to find the cave?" She rejected that too. What she said puzzled the dragon, as the student proposed that even if they found Scootaloo, they weren't sure to be able to free him. She was developing her thought when she bumped against a muscular torso.

"Iron Will gave his team a half time, so Iron Will has time to save this town!" Iron Will made the mare step back. "Iron Will is ready for some leg wrestling!"

"Oh, uh, great!" Twilight stammered. "See that with Applejack."

"Iron Will is not thirsty!" The minotaur stopped the mare fast. "And since Iron Will is so great, Iron Will has already found the threat!"

After which the minotaur looked around, paw over his eyes, searching for something to designate as Twilight, grinning hard, wanted to leave. He took a few seconds, striked a pose then spinned and pointed both fingers on a red hooded pony in the middle of the threat. This was the threat he mooed, then before the mare could stop him the minotaur sprinted towards the hood, jumped and tackled the pony on the ground. Eyes wide, Twilight was so taken aback that for a few seconds she could only watch the two struggle, and listen to Spike telling her to do something quickly.

She returned to her senses and rushed where Iron Will was holding the pony down, as ponies in the street were watching. "Iron Will" the student gritted her teeth. The beast turned, tie still impeccable, and took down the hood.

"Why have you attacked me?" The familiar voice asked. "I am just a normal pony!"

"Zecora?" Twilight's eyebrow raised. "Zecora is a threat?" She scolded the minotaur who, not even doubting, affirmed she was a spy, then proved his point by taking the hood entirely. A dozen spiders fell from it, strayed quickly along the street to hide under rocks and in the grass. Three more hidden in the zebra's mane moved and Zecora, feeling them, rushed to brush them away. "Explain yourself!" Iron Will defied her and the zebra, quietly, countered that spiders were no danger, except to those with anger, and she glared at the minotaur.

Twilight Sparkle, after an apology for what had happened, asked what had happened, why she was hiding spiders under her hood, and also since curiosity got the best of her, what had happened to her older hood. Rarity's work was the answer, and then the zebra proceeded to her other questions. Spiders had invaded her roof, those creatures were out of hoof, Widowline had to be upset. "Widowline?" Twilight tried not to fret. "How do you know this name?" And the grey dweller of the everfree, shaking her golden earrings, wondered how she could have not known it, and her tone was disturbingly mundane.

"But she is dangerous!" The student tried. "You should fear her!"

"Why should I feel terror? She is a good neighbor."

Before Twilight would stumble some more Spike countered that neighbors wouldn't invade other's homes, or foalnap fillies. This last remark finally got Zecora's attention who, her cloth back on her, ready to leave, stood there and waited for some explanation, as did Iron Will loudly and in his tone, surprisingly, was some worry.

Once informed the grey zebra was plunged in her thoughts and her wise eyes frowned had little quick moves. The minotaur exploded, he was not going to let some spider take children, not under his watch! He striked a pose, promised to find the girl and squash that insect. "Widowline is no fiend you fight" Zecora warned, her voice low and grave. It would only worsen their plight. What they needed was diplomacy if they wanted to have mercy. The spider was from Tartarus, and there the zebra let silence complete her sentence, which didn't make the minotaur even fret. Showing muscles, he rejected the advices from some spy and reaffirmed that the filly would be free in no time. Then, watching said time, he noticed his team's training awaited and he left them with that.

"Twilight Sparkle, listen to me" the zebra attempted again, for the young mare. "Widowline is not your enemy. Find the cause of her trouble before Ponyville becomes rubble."

"I will try, Zecora," Twilight promised, "but what if you are wrong?"

And she shook at the memory of those legs playing over her body, in that dark cave full of webs. If really that spider was nice, she wouldn't foalnap a child. At least the young mare asked for help to protect Ponyville, as much as possible, until things would get better. Sighing, Zecora offered to use potions and wax to keep the spiders away, but as she walked back her own way the zebra repeated, that no shield could keep one safe from threat forever. If she was wrong, and Widowline was evil, then all of her power would be useless to stop what beast they had awoken.

Left to walk her path, Twilight repeated those words. "What did she mean, that we awakened?" Spike wondered aloud, back on her back and tail wiggling. But the student chuckled nervously, and asked if he had seen anything special with Zecora. The baby dragon, surprised, said there was nothing. No thread or thin wire, Twilight insisted, like silk hanging over her head, and Spike again said he had seen no such thing. "I must have dreamt it" the student guessed unconvinced. She was certain it had glimmered in the plain day, this very thin, stretched thread over the zebra, as if that of a puppet. And she shivered, she knew why, but said aloud Zecora was willing to help them.

"Wait, you don't seriously think?" And Spike didn't finish.

She didn't want to answer that, only pressed her pace towards the Golden Oak. She needed to save Scootaloo, and her friends, and all of Ponyville she listed for her assistant who asked how to do all of that. "We need the Elements" she answered, and she wished she was wrong. She so wished, like all wishes, that Zecora could be the one to trust, because the Elements of Harmony were still missing.


	43. How to fight

Silence in the library was like the magic of a sanctuary keeping the world from slipping more, with books as shields floating quietly in her glow. The calmer it was, the deeper her worries would become, her gaze elsewhere already glancing time and time at her assistant, holding some wish. It had been minutes already, so the studious mare tried to focus on something else, opened an encyclopedia and fell, at the very page she randomly chose, on the picture of a spider. She gasped, making Spike come back to her, asking if she had found anything. She neighed, asked if there was still no letter, proposed to send another.

The cry of Philomena forced the lavender mare to stop and look up. "Philomena? You are still there?" She wondered, watching the burning bird clean its wing. She then noticed a letter between talons, the very letter she had sent. "Oh." So the student approached, making the phoenix flutter a bit on its window, and she asked for Celestia, she needed to talk to the princess.

The phoenix shook its beak, shook again when she insisted.

"Birds. You can't trust them" Spike stated, arms crossed.

Yet the student was too stressed to notice the nuance in her dragon's expression, insisted and pleaded, asked why and at that the bird of flames opened its wings, plunged and skimmed the student's head. The letter fell before her, at her toes. Then Philomena, landing on the wooden head statue, shrieked and returned to its toilet. "I... I don't understand" Twilight begged, before watching around at the library and all the books scattered when her glow had faded. But she kept on going, that they needed the Elements and that a filly's life was hanging. The phoenix raised its head, alerted, and watched her silently. That made Twilight Sparkle hope and she readied another argument, stopped when the door opened on Rarity.

Immediately the gracious mare noticed the disorder, then the bird and wondered if she was interrupting anything important. "Yes" Twilight was ready to answer, but the word didn't reach her lips. Instead, Spike welcomed her and explained how stubborn a phoenix could be, at which Rarity chuckled, then returned to her worried expression.

"Twilight, darling, I'm afraid things have become a little bit troublesome and your keen mind is direly needed."

"What? Has anything happened?"

A lot of things said Rarity's eyes as she shook her whirled mane, then asked the student to follow her outside. Just at the door she stopped and Twilight after her wondered why, looked around until the pure mare pointed the sky to her. Pegasi were scrambling at grey clouds sparse , flowing from the Everfree like slow tides. The weather team, the mare explained, was completely overwhelmed, and Rainbow Dash was busy up there. Then, as if this was nothing, Rarity went on to say ponies had seen Scootaloo, free and trotting at the edge of the Everfree Forest. "She escaped?" The student asked, and the white mare added, escaped from those trying to reach her. She had disappeared in a blink.

Then, Applejack had disappeared, Winona coming back joyful and panting, and even Fluttershy couldn't get anything from that dog, apart from a willingness to play. "Nopony knows what happened!" And Twilight, making her friend repeat, made sure all Winona would show would be happiness. But the stylist was finishing, explaining how the rare creatures Fluttershy could find were terrified, and fleeing the woods. "Oh, and this brute Iron Will went alone to find our friend." She added with some remorse to have forgotten that. The pure white unicorn then gave Twilight a sight that meant she wished the student could help, a cry for help that Twilight's eyes were reflecting.

Spike noticed their sort of embarrassed silence, chose to intervene and proposed, "one thing at a time, okay?" Applejack was the most important but the student interrupted, saying the most important was to warn the population.

"Rarity, tell the others, tell everypony to stay clear from the Everfree and to keep spiders away. I'll go find Applejack."

"But, shouldn't we go together? Form a rescue group?" Rarity tried.

Of course, a pause in Twilight's expression admitted, it was what they needed, to stick together. And she wished to say that, and she wished their help in a forest she now dreaded. She admitted as much. But declined. And just as Spiked tried to grasp onto her neck, to get on her back, she put him down and told him to stay. She then galloped away, leaving the assistant and his love behind, and murmured for herself that she would be the only one she would allow that spider to get her legs on. Her spine got a thrill at the memory.

She ran, but all the way back through the streets, right where she had met Zecora, right by the path to the school, and looked at that sky looking so quiet, still blue and bright with only rare clouds to bother. A simple thought made her slow down to a trot, then a pace, then halt. And she stared at the sky, at the pasture, at the green grass flowing wildly. The school bell rang away from her, followed by tiny laughter of fillies. "Clouds?" She mumbled, then with more efforts: "Clouds? But that's not..." she attempted, then shook her head. More than that, she put her hooves on it as it hurled inside, a roar of thoughts and feelings that she wiped with the memory of Applejack. Her friend in danger, the mare focused on the Everfree's edge and returned to her gallop.

A spider was watching her, hanging on a blade of grass, almost got thrown down when she ran over it. The spider quickly ran back on the blade's tip, let it flow on its tiny weight then rushed down to somewhere else.

All windows were closed, as was the door. On the very edge against the glass inside the black spider seemed just no more than some more shade. The web was tiny, and the spider was asleep, waiting for its silk to vibrate. At her blackboard the cerise mare was writing another word to show to her class. Fillies and colts were paying little attention, too excited at the news they had heard. Most glanced at the door, at the daylight. She stomped her desk, acting like everyday and as she showed nothing of what she had said, her pupils plunged their eyes on their benches. She smiled, asked a filly for another word and that filly was Sweetie Belle who had seen the spider move and go down the wall towards her, but didn't want to say anything so as not to be called a coward again.

So she answered, gave a word then turned to Applebloom and the two fillies couldn't help but fill the empty seat with glances. "We need to do something" Applebloom wrote with her pencil, made it pass to her precious friend who wrote back "after class" hoping her friend would leave it at that, but saw her write more. She tried to listen to the lesson, gave up and turned at the memory of the spider who could now be anywhere. It was just a spider she thought, and she first looked under her bench, hind legs raised as if the spider wanted to climb on them. Then the filly scanned further and noticed all the knots on the wooden floor that could pass for tiny eight legged monster.

"I think I saw her" was written on the paper the schoolmate had given her from Applebloom. Reading it again the filly unicorn turned to her friend, wondering what it meant. When their eyes crossed, the farm filly pointed discreetly at the window, and Sweetie Belle, after paying some more attention to Cheerilee's voice, kept her eyes fixed on the glass and the outside. Her friend had seemed very excited, very worried, as if she had seen a ghost. Sweetie Belle blinked, noticed a pink lock hanging from her mane. She was worrying too. Then, suddenly, she saw it, a brown hoof and the boyish mane of her friend. Her heart stopped fast but went wild when a colt yelled: "It's her!" And calling the teacher the colt repeated, as the class went frantic, that it was Scootaloo outside.

"Calm down, everypony! Calm down." Cheerilee quickly trotted to the window, opening it and she looked outside, everywhere, but affirmed she couldn't see anything. Around a dozen pupils assured the contrary, that Scootaloo had been there and a filly said it was a ghost, adding fright to excitement.

Sweetie Belle was mute, just as her friend. They heard the teacher go out, the door closed behind her and the class waited for a minute or two, watching Cheerilee walk around the school on both sides, look on the ground and afar. She shook her head and something in the filly's heart sank. She had wished, she had feared, suddenly she noticed the spider, back at its place on the web, at the window's edge. It seemed to fret, to notice her gaze and the spider moved, but slightly, every now and then.

"Your attention please," Cheerilee asked as she came back in the room, staying at the door. She needed to alert other ponies, to search around the school. But more than that, she seemed worried, and that tone touched her pupils. She told them that class was adjourned, that she needed them to go directly to their home, not alone, and stay safe. Applebloom had already hopped down her seat, carrying the entire room to do the same. The crusader approached the precious unicorn, put a hoof on her hoof. "Let's go" she said and as they passed before the teacher, she begged them to trust her, that ponies would find their friends.

"Scootaloo needs you back home waiting for her." She tried.

And when they got out of sight from school and Applebloom turned to her friend, telling her to come and search with her she refused. The white filly said she was scared, that Scootaloo had no reason to hide from them. "I do want to find her" she defended, but she also felt like curling up and hiding in a corner. Applebloom neighed, reared up and putting her two forehooves together, promised she could defend them. She seemed so adamant, so confident, then seemed nothing when a whisper cut her. It came from a brush, it repeated.

"Scootaloo?" Applebloom asked, not too sure what to expect.

The young pegasus showed, hoofed for them to approach. Past the bush they saw their friend, beaming if a bit ruffled, so happy to see her friends. Sweetie Belle asked what had happened, Applebloom twice, excited to hear it and even more angry to see their wild friend so careless. "Sure!" Scootaloo answered. "I'll show you! Come!" And she was ready to lead them.

"Uh, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle doubted. "You do know that's how horror stories go, right?"

And the wild pegasus, pausing, pondered and admitted: "When you put it like that, it's a bit spooky, yeah..." Then she hugged the unicorn and to the now terrorized Sweetie Belle, exclaimed: "But I promise, spiders are a lot of fun!"


	44. Bull's eyes

Fears faced the dark shades of the Everfree, plunged through the trunks into a darkness still of glimmering threads. It seemed a frontier, light cut at the edge of thorns where the clouds massed and disbanded troubled the light of day. The young student could feel the grass flow along her hooves, this light touch, and blinked. Those glimmering threads had disappeared, hidden as distance closed or they never existed. Already scarce trees surrounded her and threw their shadows on her path, then a rainbow stopped her.

"Wow wow wow!" Was all the fierce pegasus could think of flying down before her friend, to hover at her muzzle. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Helping Applejack." The unicorn answered in a stressed voice. "Don't worry, I'll we back quickly."

The look Dash gave her was nothing short of distrust. She wouldn't let the student pass, no matter what, claimed that and defied her to try. Twilight, taken aback, tried to skip her while saying they couldn't let their friend down but the sky blue pegasus kept blocking the way to the dark forest. "In case you haven't noticed" the fierce mare cut her, all was a mess. Clouds were turning crazy, animals fleeing and the pegasi kept seeing a filly hiding from them. And that was just her side of the story, as she knew Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had their own share to deal with. They couldn't afford to lose another mare to that Widowline.

Before her the young unicorn had halted, marveled suddenly and the tale underlined, marveled. She suddenly rose on her two hind legs, reached for Dash and waved her hoof over the rainbow mane. "I'd have sworn..." she muttered, just like with Zecora. But her hoof had touched Rainbow's shoulder and she felt it, the coat bristled, skin shaking. It was almost nothing, but it appealed to her heart.

"Rainbow Dash, you're, frightened?"

And Rainbow to deny, but the moment she did she felt tears at her eyes, thin tears wanting to break and she repeated, "I'm not!" before falling into Twilight's grasp. Her friend answered, "me too" and her mind was rushing to find words to comfort her friend, if not herself. Yet all she could do was tell how bad things were becoming, that it was more than a spider now and if she didn't come back, she needed Dash to take all ponies from Ponyville, and lead them to Canterlot. She wasn't even thinking, just talking, following her heart. She wanted everypony safe, and promising she would be back she left the blue mare behind.

"She is right" she said aloud as her gallop reduced once inside the dense woods full of moss and shrubs. And she kept on saying, that they had completely lost control of the situation, and they needed a plan, then: "Spike?" She looked on her back, felt distressed. A moment, almost a second, she looked for him. Then she stomped the dirt, sighed and kept on going.

Everywhere she could see, the Everfree was darker, far more silent, by far colder. Still, she could spot tiny motions, not of foliages, those of spiders. Just one or two, here and there, moving at her passage as if hiding. She was shuddering but forced herself to keep a quiet pace and her horn at calm. There was this horrible feeling, of being watched, on the back of her neck. The cave, or where the cave should have been, was still far away, with no path but only those deep ways into the wilderness. There was a sound, a beat, her heart, almost as strong to her ears as the clop of her toes striding. Muscles tense, she could feel short aches and a soft breeze giving her the impression of a wave of spiders climbing on her, grasping her bristle.

Then, she heard laughter. She stopped, ready to hide, and her ears alert turned in that direction, at her side, in the distance. She said nothing, but silence, waited and after a few seconds she heard it, more laughter, two distinct following each other, those of fillies. In the thick woods, it echoed like specters.

Her breath was loud, irregular. Everything focused on this only thought: Applejack. But she stood, waiting for more, and she heard it again, another short laugh so faint, so weak, it seemed to vanish. Her body had taken a step back. Then another. She turned, looked at the closest tree and her horn had lit, glowing but the slightest. The glow revealed half a dozen black furry balls, eight legged, that disbanded on the moss the moment she gasped. The whole forest swirled around her, trapped, she felt trapped and her eyes pleaded for Dash. Up over her the sky was still partly blue and quiet, a dim blue tarnished by grey clouds. She put her hoof on her chest, breathed, breathed again and then, opening her eyes, with just a short shiver she strode forward.

When the first web appeared, she simply cut through it, with her hoof, and went through. There were others, wide webs tangled on trees like walls, becoming thicker and thicker as she approached where the cave should have been. Spiders ran before her and she stopped, waited but nothing, so she kept on going. She looked down on the grass and dirt and there were many tiny webs veiling the ground, attached to blades and rocks. It was muffling her pace. More spiders ran before her, as if she didn't exist, and she diverted to follow them.

In a clearing was Iron Will, the minotaur looking stunned, his two paws attached by a white flock of webs on a tree, like ropes, making him hang there. All around were webs and coccoons, but Twilight immediately noticed, empty ones, and of all sizes, without logic. She almost shrieked as another spider walked past her, past the bush she was hiding in. The spider was the size of her head, and dozens like it gathered on the ground and trees around the bull.

Iron Will seemed to recover, turned his sight and noticed the dark mane, the purple horn emerging from the bush. His eyes went wide but he closed them, clenched his teeth and when he opened them, it was of raw rage. He mooed for the spiders:

"Hey you bugs! You think you can use Iron Will as a bait? Well you caught something, and it's an angry force of nature! These paws will crush you, this hooves will smash you, these horns will slice my name on you furballs so you learn what Iron Will means!"

He was yelling as loudly as possible, tiring his lungs to force spiders to look at him. Twilight Sparkle was watching him, observed the spiders fretting at his empty threats, attracted by his powerful voice and his strong motions. And she knew he was creating a diversion for her to escape. She wanted to escape. And when she saw a spider of her size, walking among the others, covering them with her shadow, she wanted to escape. But she couldn't move. Fear had paralyzed her.

"Enough talk!" The bull yelled when he felt he was losing attention. "Time for show!" And the minotaur clenched his teeth, focused and forced on the webs holding his paws. A sudden wave battled on the crowd of spiders who began running wild, not to prevent his escape but anywhere, blindly, some in circles and on the biggest it was visible, their shaking.

Then, his efforts in vain, Iron Will stopped. "Okay" he breathed, "Iron Will gives you some time to plead for mercy."

It stopped the black beasts who slowly lost focus and returned to weaving or their aimless wandering, and the whole clearing suddenly froze. Twilight, still motionless, felt a presence. She slowly turned, felt a leg touching her back, saw the spider reaching from the foliage of the bush. She tried not to shriek, but the spider suddenly moved, so fast, to get on her that she jumped out of the bush, in the middle of the clearing. Immediately spiders rushed on her but a blinding light from her horn made them stray and hide. She turned to the bull whose face was yelling to run, and he yelled for her to run, but she couldn't. She tried to focus her magic on the webs holding the minotaur, then saw the spiders coming back.

"This is no game kid! Run!"

She illuminated the clearing once again, frozing the spiders on place but as the flash disappeared all went on her and she felt their legs taking grip on her coat, the tiniest climbing as those bigger held on her tail. She shook, making the spiders rain down, she tried to escape and fumbled. Already the spiders were covering her, up to the neck, to the mane, covering her shriek for help.

Iron Will was watching. He saw the third flash of light slowing down the spiders, then the mass making the pony disappear. He growled, trembled, breathed and mooed furiously. Then he stopped, feeling an ache at his arm: his horn had grazed it. Grinning, the bull empaled the webs and the next second he was free. Falling, he landed firmly then sprinted on the flocks of spiders, crashed through with the young unicorn in his paw that he slipped under his arm. She was still battling, waving her legs eyes shut as a few spiders still held on her mane.

A giant spider plunged from the trees, that he punched aside on his path, head down and running for the edge of the Everfree, more precisely away from the webs. Behind them the woods seem to awaken, dozens, hundreds, maybe a thousand tiny shadows suddenly moving, scrambling, swarming on trees and shrubs to catch them. He mooed, smashed more of those creatures and even as his sweat began to reach Twilight, as his breath became way louder, he held her tight, broke through white webs as if nothing, stumbled on a root but didn't fall. There was a determination in his eyes, something stronger than the curse of woods, that was holding his course.

When the edge was near, as were the spiders, he yelled something for the student who was too shaken to listen. Then, she felt him somehow skip and take pace before throwing her through the branches of trees. Twilight opened her eyes, saw herself flying over the foliages and before her the green grass and Ponyville, all approaching fast. She shrieked, braced and the last instant, closing her eyes, she felt a surge of magic slowing her down. She rolled out of the forest, landed muzzle first in the daylight. Feeling numb, stunned, the purple student got up and turned, reeling, towards the forest. She waited for the minotaur but only saw a pegasus then two, then Rainbow Dash joining them to ask what had happened. She was still waiting, still hoping, eyes trembling at the dark egde of the woods.

Eventually, the silhouette of Iron Will took shape, walking slowly, like limping away from a battlefield. He was bruised, exhausted, and his victorious grin barely held. On reaching the group of ponies, his eyes on the student, he suddenly fell.

"That's it, I'm out" he groaned. "Kid, you've no idea what you're up against. And believe me, you don't want to meet those eyes."


	45. The more they fight

Colors faded in the early evening, with the sun sliding away at the mountains leaving the town to fend with shades. Candles lit kept the library in a plain day. By the open door Fluttershy was waiting, eyes in the sky until the fierce pegasus, her mane still bright in the late time, landed just near her in surprise. The creamy mare asked, if she had seen them and then, about the clouds, and the pegasus admitted between them that she was worried for Cloudsdale. They went inside, first to Rarity who left the dragon and the flaming bird to ask herself, her voice worried. She sighed, and at that Twilight Sparkle finally put down her book.

Her expression was a sorry one, almost ashamed and the sight of Rarity full of comfort only hurt her more. "You found no one?" She almost stated, neither Applejack nor the fillies and colts, and she couldn't help but think of the warning Iron Will had given them.

But Rainbow Dash offered a tepid smile and at that a joyful mare hopped in the room: "Girls, look who I found!" Pinkie Pie announced.

They all turned to the door to see the grey pegasus enter, "hello!" she munched in a clumsy little flight, a letter and a purse at her mouth. "Derpy!" Twilight went forth but her pink friend, looking oddly at that appearance, giggled and, wrong pony, she showed them the door where, as if she had waited, the cowmare made her way into the light.

"Applejack!" The group rushed to hug her. "But how?" Twilight asked.

"Sorry to have ya all worried" the brave mare answered, trying to smile. "I thought I had seen Scoot', so I went after her, but whoever that was left me with a whole bunch of spiders and no Winona! Good to hear she's made it back. I went the pony way, fled like fire was on my tail. Hay, they were pushing me to that cursed cave! I was quite exhausted when a strong voice began yelling from nowhere, giving me a chance to escape. I took it, then erred in the Everfree like a scared filly, hearing laughter and all, 'til Angel found me."

And the rabbit got out of the hat, lifting it, then hopped down to join the creamy pegasus and climb her smooth pink mane. She pawed and said, she kind of did wish for somepony to bring back her friend, but then... her words fainted in what were apologies, before the white rabbit stomped her head. "The lad saved me" Applejack repeated, and she thanked them both again, and did a tad more.

Twilight was smiling at the scene, feeling relieved, almost relieved. She lost her smile, thought aloud how dangerous the Everfree had become, "not more than usual" Dash shrugged, wanting to forget her earlier act. But the brave mare, replacing her hat, confirmed, and with a stern tone she supported her studious friend. "Them spiders are everywhere, and spreading." And they could bite, she reckoned.

"But you are back, darling, and it's all that counts" Rarity quickly pressed.

Her smile was concealing what was hanging at her muzzle, and when Applejack learned she seemed distressed, willing to leave but at that her body shuddered, tired. She turned to Twilight, asked her what they could do, and the young student answered: nothing more than what the Mayor had convinced ponies to do, earlier in the day. To stay clear from the forest, and to keep spiders away. Over them the flaming bird seemed asleep, yet listened. So the student repeated, they needed the Elements or, "soon", the town would be overwhelmed. But she didn't even know if the princess had them.

"Oh!" The grey pegasus, silent since her arrival, suddenly exclaimed. "You could ask her!" And after Twilight gave her a glare, she continued: "I saw guards coming!"

Canterlot was sending guards, a whole column in march to reach the join, bound to reach it at midnight. Dash was asking how the clumsy pegasus could have seen something she, she didn't, but Twilight brushed that question away. Celestia would take all the necessary steps to defend Ponyville, and get rid of the monster, "Widowline" Fluttershy murmured, of the monster until she could send the Elements, or Victory would be back. Twilight was certain the celestial knight could defeat the spider by herself.

"So, what ya're saying is, we're helpless?" Applejack genuinely asked. And she turned to the door and the greyish outside, glancing for her sister.

"We're not helpless, we're patient!" Pinkie pie grinned, then hopped around the grey mare. "Now tell me about Victory! Did she have fun? Did she make friends?"

As if she remembered, Twilight Sparkle came close too and her baby assistant, leaving his broom, went to get the letter and the purse. He stopped, sniffed and opened them to take a diamond. "Wow" the purple dragon admired, and Rarity too. Rolling her eyes, the studious mare picked the letter with a glow and began to read it. She immediately stopped: the address was for the princess, and she asked Derpy if there wasn't a mistake. "No!" The genuine mare smiled, she had been specifically instructed to give this to the princess's student and nopony else. She was also proud to have made so much distance in so little time, and Pinkie approved, somewhat proud of that too.

It occurred to Dash to ask instead of waiting for the letter, what had happened and why the pegasus was back so soon. "Did she reach Tartarus?" But the grey mare neighed, they hadn't come even close. Tracks had been eaten by a rock golem, and they had had to save a rock farm from those giant living boulders. "What?" Twilight blinked, as the letter didn't mention any event at all, so the clumsy pegasus went on, mimicked a battle of a mare running, cuirass fuming under the sun, hitting a golem with both her forehooves and the golem suddenly breaking apart, inert. She mimicked some more until falling on the floor and explaining, the knight had won. Funny boulders had surrendered and were now kind of obeying the farmers there. "That..." Rarity tried, a bit speechless, "... doesn't explain the gems?" And the grey pegasus, as if remembering, explained that Victory had received it from the farmers.

"Wait, Victory made them pay?" Twilight asked, not believing it a second. It wasn't even what her friends had understood but the grey mare, pondering, said the knight kind of did. And at their insistence she confirmed that Victory explicitly asked them to give those gems.

"Some knight she is!" Dash neighed. "I thought they were helping ponies for free!"

"Well..." Rarity hesitated. "Any service owes a reward, right?"

"Rarity," the student shook her head, "Victory is serving Celestia." Plus, there had never been anything like this in the legends she had read, not in any version, not even about another knight. She couldn't explain what could possibly had motivated the mare and didn't want to think about it, a bit irked Twilight rolled the letter, gave it to her assistant telling him to send it to the princess. She then remembered the bird, got even more irked.

"And the gems?" Spike asked, a bit avid, but she told him not to touch them or Victory would be mad at him. "Too bad," the baby dragon moaned, "there is even a fire ruby."

The lavender mare wasn't listening, left the group to approach the table, the equine head and on it the stubborn bird. It was ignoring her, but she insisted anyway, told Philomena to at least bring that letter to the princess. The bird fluttered, opened its wings wide and then Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash fell from behind, caught the letter to take it away. "Hey!" Twilight complained, it was for the princess but her two friends were busy reading it and Applejack, approaching them, admitted she wanted to know what that mare had to say too. Twilight pawed, watched Rarity join the group and paced to them too, just as Spike was back to his broom, watching for windows and tiny black shapes.

"My princess," the letter said, "The train got delayed. I will go by hoof. This feels like a hateful flight."

Pinkie Pie noticed how there was no punctuation, no paragraph, nothing, how compact the writing was and Derpy, nodding, said the mare wanted it written that way, because that's how letters should look like and she didn't trust a pony with wings. Her expression shocked them a bit but the mares were still attracted by Rarity who kept on reading.

"My hooves are yours, and they are tarnished. They are a weight on your land. I will go to Tartarus where all beasts should be. With luck, my princess, and your blessing, Equestria will have peace. Your student won't have to lie, and tales will be tales. I will take this cuirass to battle and make it shine once more in your name. But my princess, this feels like fleeing. I fear beasts less than your fillies. One night I fell in deep sleep and saw a filly joyful and happy. She had a blazing coat and a flaming mane, warm to white, and hooves of war. She was in a land of white where grass and plants would grow scarce. Then came your gracious light and she turned and marveled. The filly followed it, pacing faster and faster until gallop, and grass and plants were growing at her trail. When she reached you, my princess, she was a mare, her eyes were dim, your mane was flowing and your body was of stone."

Then, Rarity read, the letter warned Celestia against her student and her lies, that the blessing was "but a spell" and that she could "break it". That it was tarnishing her name. The precious unicorn stopped, raised her head to Twilight and stated, this was how the letter ended.

"Twilight?" Applejack asked. "Are ya alright?"

The purple student had stepped back, her fringe flowing before her trembling eyes. She whispered, she was certain of it, now in the candles light she could see the thread glimmering. There were two, two lengthy threads so thin of silk, that were hanging straight and attached to the farm mare's head, through her hat. The student could see them, could almost feel them vibrate in the air, at every motion of the brave mare. She stammered, for Applejack to look at her head, an non of her friends could see those threads. "They're right Twilight" Spike intervened as the young unicorn was insisting, anxious, the baby dragon could see anything himself. She had to be tired.

But even as the mares worried Twilight could see those two threads, very clearly, and when her eyes fell on those of Applejack, the tale revealed, she didn't recognize her friend.

* * *

**Chapters 41, 44 and 45 were planned (for months), parts of 42 and 43 were more recent but the rest was rushed and it feels. I don't like how the mane6 has to run everywhere and how the timeline goes. But I got my scenes and, well, it will have to suffice.  
**

**I feel like there isn't much to say until episode 15...  
**


	46. To each her way

Morning was cold and dry, sunbeams struggling through the wild clouds to glimmer on the brass of a crashed airship. Through the whole night this battle had raged, distant from the town asleep, and I had been oblivious to it, to the trails of Victory's tale. The blimp was still in its trench, water in ponds around it turning grass into swamps, its hull soaked and gashed, a whole side torn away. All that was left of magical flames were black marks on the planks, on the engines and propellers, and a greyish smoke that the daylight would partly hide. On the wooden floor were red spills.

The bow was two ponies high, watched by the two ponies silent, their hooves damp. Kept away by the guards, a few groups of ponies were looking from farther away, coming and going as curiosity settled. They could see it, from close and clear, and couldn't tell how furious the battle had been. Yet the creamy pegasus shied at the sight of the guardrail hanging in pieces. The bunny on her pink mane seemed unimpressed.

"Ah! They are finally here!" Rarity exclaimed relieved at the sight of the rainbow pegasus who was emerging from the thatched houses of Ponyville, flew low and slow towards her friends and landed, alone. "Where is Twilight?" The gracious unicorn wondered.

"Wished I knew" Rainbow scowled. "She said she would come later, but from the looks of this she won't leave her books at all!"

This was beyond the fierce mare. She had told her the whole story, how the airship had appeared in flames, pursued by Skyrpans, how she and guards had come to rescue it and the fight she had fought, and the more she detailed, the more the young unicorn had plunged into her readings. Then, Fluttershy asked, if her fierce friend had mentioned the wounded crew, and that Applejack was with them at the hospital, and Rainbow Dash nodded. "Yeah!" She exploded, she had explicitly told Twilight to come, twice, in vain. And brushing that memory away the mare proposed to just go without her.

Somehow as they left the blimp to guards and crossed the river, away from the edge of the Everfree lights and colors became brighter, the day more warm and happiful. The road led to the hospital where they trotted and found Pinkie Pie watching for them, waving a leg at their approach. The members of the Apple family were in the east aisle, and their brave friend just one floor under them, looking for the wounded guards. That, Fluttershy thought aloud, was the nicest of attentions. Then the pink mare calming for a second wondered where Twilight was, guessed it before any of the mares could answer: "Oh, she must be in her books!" And she offered a happy face at the idea.

Applejack was with a nurse whose short pink mane was so light it looked like a balm. A guard at the door was watching, his expression only showing, but barely, some tiredness. His cheek was bruised. First question was for her family and the brave mare assured they were safe now. She was more worried looking for the door just aside her, lowered the head, her face partially hidden by the hat.

"I'm more worried for them farms. They were heading for Canterlot, looking for help."

There was more she wanted to say, something the farm mare brought herself to admit. Her family was in trouble, and she felt bad for not helping them, just as she felt bad not being able to save her little Applebloom. She bit her hat, wanting to throw it on the ground but just kept it in her mouth, her straw mane naked. "I hate that" she mumbled. And Pinkie, clutching the mare, said she had felt kind of the same when she had heard about the rock farm. Swiftly, as if it was all that counted: "That's why you must smile!" And if she wanted to go help her family, nopony would think ill of that.

"But I can't leave Applebloom!" The strong mare defended.

"This is not just about our sisters anymore," Rarity corrected with a bit of dismay. "Or about Scootaloo for that matter" she eyed the sky blue mare. "Have the guards told you yet?"

More fillies and colts had disappeared through the night, despite being home, in their beds, windows and doors shut. Patrols had heard laughter echoing in the streets, and shadows of children galloping away from them. They were stomping on spiders even before the City Hall. "But!" The gracious mare stressed, this was not what really worried her. She was worrying for their friend, the studious mare, she was really anxious for Twilight Sparkle.

They were going back to the hospital hall, away from the patients rooms as to not perturb their rest. Applejack leading, she wasn't sure what her friend meant. She hadn't noticed yet that the student was missing, didn't think much of it. Then she turned and underlined how right Twilight was, about the Everfree, and that her brother was blind to try again and again to go save their sister. Frustrated, she muttered she wanted to do the same, except she knew what was waiting for them in there.

"Okay" Dash intervened, "But reading? Really?"

"What Rainbow Dash means" Rarity took relay "is that Twilight is just as affected as we all are. The poor dear must be worried sick, and think we expect her to find a solution."

"Well," the brave mare pawed, "I kind of do."

"The pressure must be unbearable and what I fear is, she is trying to find shelter in her books." Escape from reality, the pure unicorn meant.

All this time Fluttershy had stood silent, if not for the patients, because she was watching her friends, listening to their words and voices and the more they talked the more she could feel those pangs of distress. She had stepped back a bit, looked away and turning, she almost stumbled upon the guard who had just entered, stern and grave, his coat almost of charcoal. The guard weighted her with a glance, then asked if she was the beast master. "Uh?" Her friends reacted, and the guard explained, he was looking for Fluttershy, the owner of a cottage at the edge of Ponyville.

The guard had a dark armor and a helm with fins. All of them in Ponyville did.

Troubled, the shy pegasus followed him, turned to say goodbye to her friends and comfort Applejack once more with a few words. As she left Rainbow Dash wanted to go with her, but treaded on place and, with a sigh, stood with the group.

"You know, maybe Twilight is right." She tried. "Wild clouds? Skyrpans? Oh yeah, and rail eating golems! That's too many cookies out of the jar."

"But then, what should we do?" Rarity inquired, as if to rebuff.

The fierce pegasus turned to her, then to all of her friends. "Actually," she paused, "I thought I would make a quick visit to Cloudsdale, check that they're safe..."

Clouds were a mess of brightness expanding almost to the river, sunbeams magnified by their shades up to the first homes of Ponyville. Fluttershy had taken lead once she had noticed the guard wasn't sure of the way to her cottage. She could hear the armor hissing at their steps, breaking the joyful air of plants and birds in the morning. This reminded her, but of nothing much and her sight erred with their stride, at the quietness of the land then to the royal cart parked before the tiny bridge of her house and to the guards at her door. Critters were playing harmlessly around, as if oblivious of those grave silhouettes.

At their approach the animals suddenly strayed, some in direction of the timid mare to welcome her and little squeaks as others were running round of the house and disappeared by its garden, quickly came back followed by the tall alicorn and her flowing mane.

"Princess Luna?" Fluttershy approached and bowed hesitantly. "What brings you here?" She couldn't help but ask, almost felt guilty for it.

"Nightmares" the princess offered a tepid smile. Nightmares from the citizens of Ponyville, nightmares from their foals, nightmares from the forest. But the shy pegasus didn't really mean that, hesitated then detailed, why the princess had come to her house, not to Twilight's. In her voice was this thin wave, of worry, as much as of hope. "May I?" Luna simply asked, pointing to the door, and the creamy pegasus rushed to open it for her.

She was surprised to see herself go to the kitchen, prepare some tea for her guest and her gestures were those of her everyday, as if this was any visit punctuated by highnesses, her sentences those of usual little talks. The snake holding a cup for her was watching the young mare panic, shook its head. She took the plate, held it muzzle frowned at its weight and trotted back to the table where the princess had sit. Fluttershy couldn't help but feel embarrassed, said she hoped at least the tea would taste good, which Luna confirmed with a slight nod after her sip. It was exactly as she had expected.

"Young Fluttershy, tell me, do you fear spiders?" The princess put her cup down.

"No, not really" the shy mare admitted. "Spiders are more afraid of me when I clean and dust, and I always feel sorry to destroy their webs."

"This," Luna followed, "is why I came to you."

With another sip the dark princess felt her muzzle a bit humid, cleaned herself with her hoofkerchief then casually said they would go into the Everfree and talk to that Widowline. The shy mare at the other side of the table, cheeks full of tea, froze then forced herself to gulp. It was as if her own voice, when she tried to refuse, was so weak even herself couldn't hear it. Widowline wasn't a spider, in the pony's mind, it was a monster. And she did fear monsters. Especially those who foalnapped little ponies. She couldn't admit, but her eyes betrayed, that her gaze on the princess of the night had changed and was frightening her. She did fear monsters, she repeated too feebly for it to escape her muzzle.

"Do you fear me?"

Immediately Fluttershy wanted to deny it and the more she did, the more she confirmed, a bit distressed, until the cold and calm stare of the princess finally got to her. She paused and, lowering her sight to her hooves, she rubbed her wooden floor.

"But," she attempted looking at the princess again, "Twilight said nopony should approach the forest?" As a last excuse not to go. That was as if she had already said yes.


	47. See the light

Overwhelming the room of its warmth was the phoenix wings shut watching the every moves inside the library. It was perched on the equine head, followed with its thin eyes the fast pace of the unicorn from books to books, her assistant running behind with piles more in his arms. She hadn't slept, caught another bite on the sandwich Spike had cooked for her, that was laying since yesterday evening on the table. Near the entrance of the cave Twilight had brought her blackboard, full of chalk, choked by words written and rewritten in thick white powder, unreadable.

The young dragon put down all of his pile at once and greeted Rarity with a sigh of relief. At that the bird turned its beak, stood silent as the gracious mare entered gingerly, stepped through the masses of writing scarce. "Twilight" she tried to catch her friend's attention and the student, happily, greeted her a good noon, as if to show she was still conscious of the time. Her eyes were flying from text to text, barely seeing the white coat of her visitor.

"Knights actually could charge at thirty-one, even thirty-seven miles per hour!" Twilight triumphed pointed an old illustration to her worried friend. "Do you realize?"

"No dear, I don't" The mare grimaced. "I just saw Luna and Fluttershy going to the Everfree Forest."

Her studious friend had returned to the blackboard, wiped half of it making the chalk fly wild around her. She seemed not to have listened, wrote two lines and turned, asked casually if Rarity had tried to stop them. Her voice had trembled for a second.

"Stop them?" The precious mare reacted. "I tried to join them!"

She watched the student plunge into another book, make the pages fly and approaching the unicorn saw the old writing, the tales, the rhymes. Her friend was reading tales from another age, legends, stories. She hesitated to ask, "Twilight, what are you doing?" And the answer, joyful and careless, almost bristled her coat: saving Ponyville. The book was already shut again, turning away the purple mare trotted, followed by Spike, back to the chalkboard.

"Victory is victim of a simple failsafe spell. A spell even I can do!" She grinned. "No magic can affect her" she continued, "neither good nor bad, like light spells! No magic, none at all. That's the key!"

"Twilight," Rarity's voice almost pleaded. "Could you just stop for a second?"

Finally her studious friend halted and just beside her tail the assistant fell down, exhausted. No, Twilight answered, her voice suddenly stern, no she couldn't stop even for a second. She turned and her eyes were looking not at Rarity, but over her, making the precious unicorn look up at her horn, or higher, and see nothing.

"You have that monster's web on you" the student briefly stated. "Threads hanging from mane to tail, magical ones. That's how it can control fillies, and it will eventually control you too." She fretted. "Rarity, you have no idea how bad things are!" And she returned to the blackboard, made her sight fly along her writings. "The Elements are still missing, the princess can do nothing for us. Our only chance is Victory. We need her spell."

"What we need is you Twilight," Rarity retorted. "With us. Outside. Your friends are waiting, I'm waiting for you to come back."

But all the student offered was a sorry and determined look, one in which reflected what the purple unicorn could see, thick threads hanging, a dozen of them, and on the white coat of her friends already what looked like flocks of tiny webs. She turned back, silent, trotted to other books and Spike, getting up and moaning, told Rarity it was no use. He had tried, the whole night, to reason with the mare. A call from her made the baby dragon rush and Rarity, left behind, stood a bit shocked, repressed some feelings and trotted outside.

Outside were rumors that immediately attracted her attention. She went down by the street, approached a place where a guard, stoic, was escorting Zecora. The zebra, a maracas in her mouth, sacks on her back seemed preoccupied. As the gracious mare approached the guard put himself between them, until the zebra greeted her friend.

"What happened?" Rarity asked. "I heard voices. Was there a dispute?"

"Oh I was only accused of treason, but ponies came back to reason. They thought I helped foalnap their fillies because my look gives them the willies."

And she shook her maracas as if to exemplify. The guard confirmed, since the very morning Zecora had helped protect Ponyville, spreading powder at the edge of the forest, leaving perfumes for the families. Yet the unicorn wasn't listening anymore. Her expression had faltered to a forced smile, one panicked. She was seeing it, the threads, and in Zecora's eyes something woven, white and thin, that glimmered when she lit her horn.

All of Ponyville was affected and, soon, so would her guards, maybe herself. Luna was talking casually, her cold voice comforting through the shades of the Everfree. She was striding, tall and high, ignored the deep of shadows where they could see the humid webs spark. "Even me?" The young pegasus beside her gulped, and Luna nodded, even her.

"But... I feel normal." Her voice was stammering a bit as she looked around, jolting each time she felt something moving. She looked up at the grey sky where clouds seemed to roll endlessly, then behind her where the forest closed and hid their path. She was looking for a pegasus.

"Maybe we should have let Rarity come" she slowed down while proposing.

The tall and dark alicorn gave her a glance, almost a glare that made the shy mare slow down even more, look away as if scolded. Luna sighed, kept striding quietly as around them those white threads opened, formed walls between trunks and hung like creepers in a crazy state. They felt webs under their hooves, muffling their steps. Fluttershy had clung to the princess, yelped as spiders moved around them, some big enough to make her shudder. Eyes shut, she suddenly halted, unable to move.

"You are not afraid of spiders," the princess reminded her.

And those words far less than the quiet tone broke through her fear. The young pegasus opened her eyes, looked around and gasped, trembling, but found the strength to keep going. Luna had waited for her, went forth at her pace and she suddenly realized how the tall presence was comforting, as if nothing could happen by her side. It was noon, it seemed dark, the lengthy mane flowed silently, defied the crawling beasts. The gracious horn glowed, slashed through webs and before them was the cliff, almost entirely white, that got blinded by the princess spell. Before Fluttershy was the cave they had looked for and she turned to Luna, eyes full of questions, full of fear, trembling. She couldn't go in there, she said, she was too scared. "Why for?" The princess sounded surprised, almost playing.

"It's a dark, creepy cave" the young mare admitted.

"And I am a dark, creepy mare. Let us go."

That had only fixed the creamy mare more on place, sit an instant before feeling the dry contact of silk that made her squeal. She turned desperately to the princess, begging, and saw her watch over her, one wing slightly open over her head, as a cover. That cold stare reassured her just a bit, and she shied at her fears, gulped. Then, looking down at her toes as she pawed and hesitated, she began muttering. It had been there in her chest, the princess leaned to her, to listen and that made Fluttershy speak even more faintly. "I haven't told Twilight" she repeated, embarrassed. She wanted to say it, the princess was ready to listen.

"That day when I played this horrible instrument..." She paused. Spiders were creeping around, noisy. "When Victory made it stop..." Her breath calmed. "She told me to drop it. I answered I couldn't! She repeated for me to drop it and her voice was threatening. I braced for her hit. But she simply sit, and waited, looked at me with her empty eyes." She smiled a bit, sit and looked up, in her memory. "Then I felt empty, and I stopped playing. I was crying but I was feeling nothing." And she repeated her motion, moving her legs to offer an invisible lyre to an invisible mare. The princess was looking at her, a bit over her and a bit surprised. The threads were barely visible.

"Feeling better?" She asked the shy mare who seemed to wake up.

Fluttershy turned to Luna, worried again. "I... I think so." And she got up to follow her in the cave.

What had calmed her, the tale wondered, was the memory or was the mare, or a heart sincere. She stepped in, saw the walls narrow and sharp, glowing in blue astral shades of the princess of night. Spiders crouched and fled before them, to the edges of the light spell. And from afar, from deep afar the young pegasus could hear laughter greeting them, wicked by the distance. She only went reluctantly, to stay close to the dim spell, then looking at those black shadows she found herself wondering and striding with more ease.

Laughter got nearer, more audible, more precise, those of fillies and colts that echoed without end. Behind them the entrance was blind, a pit of blackness. The spell magnified, revealing hundreds of spiders who rushed away the very second, leaving the first pillars blank. A shrieking voice reached them in the distance, high pitched, that of Widowline. "More guests! Please come, please come, unless you're a three-headed dog in which case there is no one here!" And in between, as if muttering, the spider was lecturing her children. The voice waved, as if about to break, but Fluttershy was too tense to sense it.

They went forth, the light slowly gaining strength until it reached the cave, up to the ceiling, made it shimmer on the circles of silk. Laughter had become happy and pony again, and before them the shy mare discovered two dozens of fillies and colts grouped around Widowline, the spider hung at her thread, jostled by this joyful youth. Sweetie Belle turned, followed by a tiara giggling as they pushed the giant spider who was feebly scolding them, stopped and opening its eight legs, greeted:

"Such noble chords! Hello, hello, please, don't be shy! Don't mind my turbulent children!"

The whole crowd of ponies followed, approaching the two mares with their wide smiles. Head first the three young fillies plunged before Luna so happy to see her, so happy to be here, then wondering before her cold glance if they had done something bad.


	48. Silent ones

There was the cave, pillars trembling under the weakest of light. There were the fillies and colts like foals grouped before the monstruous spider, thin legs open for its visitors. And Fluttershy shied a bit at the sight of glowing threads over the group of children, over their happy smiles. She was listening to Scootaloo, to this so young pegasus welcoming them with this still worry in her eyes before she asked why the princess and the kind shy mare looked so grave. That filly's voice could reach the mare and yet, even so, it was as if withering in the cave, she could make nothing of it. Fluttershy could only hear her own heartbeat and the panic before such a scene that she couldn't understand.

Luna had stepped forth, broke through the young group who followed and gathered around Widowline. And the spider, gigantic, stretched its thin pointy legs and greeted them with her high-pitched voice. "Please, children, calm down" she weakly scolded the fillies as much as the spiders all around in darkness that retreated even more. Hiding behind her pink mane and the tall alicorn Fluttershy trembled, hearing them swarm around as if thousands.

"Release the children" Luna boomed. Her royal voice made the young mare realize how deaf she had been, and after a skip she dared look at the scene, watch the princess confront the beast. "I have come not to discuss, but to bring them back to Ponyville."

"But we are happy here" Fluttershy recognized the voice of Rarity's sister, pleading.

"Silence!" The princess ordered coldly.

She stepped once more and the whole group of fillies pressed itself against the spider, as if frightened by the flowing mane. Yet they were still happy, or hoping, and giving little giggles even as fear reached them. Only Sweetie Belle had frozen, not just scared but hurt, and ears flat she seemed to lose her joy. "Now now" Widowline panicked and the shy mare saw it reach to the filly, legs playing over the little pony as if with an instrument as on the pure white muzzle the smile was growing again. Fluttershy felt a thrill.

"There, there," Widowline hushed, "ponies should be happy and joyful and giggle and laugh." She let the happy filly escape in a hop and join her friends, turned to the dark princess: "I beg of you" her voice wavered, "stop scaring my children! The poor dear are panicked!"

"Yeah" a colt added with his slow voice. "they're panicking!"

"We're doing nothing wrong" Scootaloo continued, first for Luna then for Fluttershy when she noticed that the mare was more willing to listen. "Aunt Widowline needs us to calm her children, and we're having a lot of fun!"

"Yeah. A lot of fun."

"We would told ya all about this" Applebloom trotted to the shy mare, "but everypony in Ponyville is getting mighty crazy! And if we leave, poor spiders will go nuts too!"

She said that looking up, at the edge of her ear where, timidly, a tiny spider reached out from her mane and seemed to look at the creamy mare. Fluttershy didn't fret at that sight, because it was just a little spider like those she knew and she felt how scared the little one was. Se was about to come closer and say some words when Luna's hoof stomped.

"Foalish. Know this, spider. Before you are the last friends you have left. Trust us, release the children before it is too late."

Before the princess had finished it seemed the monster had listened, hesitating but then tensed at those few last words. A wave of panic flowed through the cave and spiders by dozens poured at the edge of the night glow.

"No!" Widowline shouted. "You can't! You musn't! If you do that, my children will be terrified and they'll get into trouble! I don't want trouble! Please please please let me fix everything! I can fix everything!"

"You won't have another chance." Luna warned.

Then, as if fear itself had given her courage, Fluttershy felt the need to intervene. She had trembled, she had wondered and looked at the fillies, at the colts and thought, again and again, how happy they were. And that Ponyville was scared. And looking at Widowline, she was seeing in her less and less of the monster, more and more of a caring mother.

So she hopped forth and, apologizing, faced the princess of night. Her words weighed nothing, weak of sound and of meaning but she guessed, she just guessed, maybe they should trust Widowline first. And facing the stern look of the princess she ventured, her leg pawing hesitantly, that maybe they should be more kind to her.

This was, after all, why she was there, the mare proposed. With that she offered pleading eyes for the tall mare who kept looking, unaffected, just as the fillies had come and gathered around the shy mare to support her, their little voices adding to her to beg the princess to reconsider. They were happy there, they wanted to help. Even behind, touched, the monstruous spider was almost shaking, almost about to cry at those feelings. But Luna didn't even seem to hear, resolute, and their words were in vain.

"How many more ponies will you trap in your endless circle of fear?" Luna defied.

"Trap?!" Widowline's voice almost choked. "I was comforting ponies even before their village edged the woods! Supporting them even through the midst of chaos! Giving you hope, joy and glee! Striking your chords with passion!"

"Enough!" The princess cut it with her royal voice.

Before she could add a word, spiders suddenly swarmed forth, ran to the alicorn and from the ceiling and from the pillars, ran on her legs and on her back, adding their black spots to the dark coat of the mare. Their sil threads thickened onto her, forming webs that fixed her hooves, stretched from her neck like chains onto the walls. Only her face, brightly lighted by her flaring horn, was left untouched. She had shuddered, but then, calm coming back to her, the princess simply let the spiders do their work.

Fluttershy felt a panic coming to her at this sight, horrified, put her hooves onto her muzzle. She wanted to scream, turned and saw the fillies smiling. "Don't worry" they said, certain that Widowline wouldn't harm the princess.

And finally Fluttershy saw it for what it was. She leapt back, "no! No no no!" And she face the little crowd of fillies and colts, Scootaloo asking her what was wrong. Widowline was trying to calm her children, "leave her, please children" but her scold was faint and when she saw Fluttershy terrorized she turned fully to her. "No no don't worry, there is nothing to fear!" And the monstruous spider tried to reach with her legs over the young shy mare.

Fluttershy closed her eyes shut. She was about to crouch and curl up, unable to think. And she suddenly wished to be happy. She heard this heart call from within her very mind, as the thin legs would reach her. As tears formed at her eyes, Fluttershy thought there was nothing wrong with wanting to be happy.

"I hear a growl." Luna quietly said, and spiders froze. "I think it's a dog."

"No! Stop it! It's not true!" Widowline's voice was panicked.

"It's approaching. Barks. Sniffs." Luna's voice was threatening. "A very big, black dog."

The young mare opened her eyes, saw the giant spider curled up on itself and shaking, begging for the princess to stop. Almost sobbing. Feeling suddenly free Fluttershy stepped back closer to the princess and her glowing horn. She wasn't paying attention to the spider anymore, eyes wide for the fillies and colts who were approaching, repeating endlessly how untrue it was, that there was no dog, and to stop. Their voices, their smiles, all was about to break. Everything was faltering before her eyes.

And a first colt, stopping suddenly, looked around and yelped. He was still trying to feel joyful, to stay with the others but, slowly, his words turned: "I want to leave." And more and more as panic spread looked in disarray, as if seeing the cave for the first time, just as spiders crawled all around in flocks, uncontrolled. Soon, all ponies were terrorized, crying or curling, begging to go home, see their parents.

Only, behind, Scootaloo was still trying to smile, and she was saying: "No! No! It's okay, we can all be happy here! We're home here, with aunt Widowline..." even as tears were filling her eyes: "We're home here, we can be all together..."

She fell down, head into her hooves, crying. And even in her panic, Widowline felt it and tried to reach, to calm the little pony, but her own fear was too great. Fluttershy then shrieked when spiders began to climb on her, on her tail, on her mane. One bit her elbow and she fought to push them away, and the more she fought the more spiders gathered, the more silk was slowly hampering her.

"Look at what you have done!" Widowline cried heavily. "You brought doom to all of us!"

"I came here with kindness." Luna simply replied.

Her horn was weakening, the glow leaving the spider into its darkness. Fluttershy felt it and stopped fighting the spiders to turn and see Luna's face tired, almost exhausted. Spiders were clutched on her body, reaching for her face and muzzle as the glow reduced even more. Yet she was smiling, this tepid smile almost cold for the scared mare. Already the dark had pushed far enough to force the foals back, grouping more and more and yelping each time spiders approached them. Their moves, of all of them, of the creamy mare, were slow and dull, and panicked. She could feel more bites, she wanted to fight them but her whole body was rendered numb.

"I know you, Widowline" Luna continued, her voice weaker, almost a breathe. "Even you have nightmares."

Her eyes closed, as did her glow. The whole cave went to dark but Fluttershy couldn't even feel that. She had long fallen on the floor, on the silk, among the many ponies asleep. The whole cave had fallen silent, only lulled by the very impression of sand playing on the webs, an inaudible melody. In the still dark two beasts were facing each other, one hanging on her thread, the other tangled and cold. In the minutes that had passed, in this place as if petrified, all ponies had gathered from one side to another, around the kind pony.


	49. Victory after victory

The edge was black and white, expanding on the fields before Ponyville. Trails of powder were left there or there in the tall grass, deserted, where black spots seemed to crawl. She didn't know if it was just an illusion. Near was the river, for its comforting flow and cool touch away from the horrors of the Everfree. Once passed the bridge she had watched the woods without colors, like petrified, and the webs stretched further among the bushes. Guards, by groups, were flanking a few ponies digging a trench.

She blinked, shook her head and looked up in the sky where clouds had reached the houses and were hurling constantly. Watching them move was giving her shrills, as did the sky empty. "Rainbow Dash didn't leave?" she emphasized, incredulous. Yet pegasi had retreated, couples left away from the dark swirls. By thin gaps the rays of light skimmed earth and gave back colors to the leaves, to the trees and the creatures afar. Then the gracious mare heard a stomp and turned to see the big stallion, Big Macintosh, cross the bridge after her. He stomped again at a tiny spider who fled quickly to hide in the grass.

Both were there for the same reason, scanned the edge of woods as if expecting, or hoping, and both felt their legs ready to galop. But a new weight was keeping them down and even then, with their way open, they simply sit.

"I thought I would rush in! and save my sister." Rarity dreamed, hoof sketching her rescue. Her muzzle plunged. "But now, I feel like fleeing..." And the soil stallion, shoot at his mouth, nodded. "Twilight is Twilight" she complained, "Rainbow Dash is, somewhere, let's not speak of Zecora and Pinkie Pie asks me to make uniforms! It's like... Ponyville is already lost."

"Eeeyup," Big Mac sternly said, then: "Ya might want to see something."

"Anything!" She fretted. "I'm sick of the sight of spiders."

So the heavy stallion turned and let her follow, across the bridge and by the path to meet with a wide wagon already entering the town. Four ponies had to pull it, a fifth before them to keep the street clear for them. They were heading for the town center, already the white mare had caught up with them, Macintosh slowing down behind. She marveled at the sight of glowing scales, even under the cloud cover, an amethyst shade rich and pure. Two dozens of those scales weighed on the wagon, in rows, bigger each one than the ponies pulling them.

"Wait!" The unicorn ran to the fifth pony, as the wagon stopped for her, and asked what it was. At that the earth mare leading the transport answered they were following a greyish pegasus, and that they were from Claremare. "Victory sent you?" Rarity asked, turned again to look at the scales and couldn't resist to purr at that sight. She knew how pricy each one was, what marvels could be done with them.

When Big Mac joined her she stopped daydreaming and, the wagon pulled again, she asked where the greyish pegasus was.

Before them the town center opened, with a crowd gathered around the City Hall. Immediately at the clamors the pure white unicorn knew what was going on, gave pace and approached. She saw the mayor with guards before the town hall entrance, confronting the crowd, but she was saying nothing. Rarity also took a glance at the cape just behind and knew it was Zecora. The crowd was shouting, angry words, angry sentences: "Give me back my child!" A mother yelled with tears of rage. For just a second she thought of her own little sister and her heart sank.

Then, just as suddenly, the greyish mare popped out of the crowd, waving at her, and met the gracious unicorn with a brightful smile. She muffled a hello with the letter in her mouth and her face expressed some sort of innocent joy, even as the crowd was brewing behind.

"I have a letter!" Derpy proudly said, showing what she held.

"We're waiting for Twilight to read it!" Pinkie Pie's voice pierced through the crowd and, hopping, the happy young mare joined the two ponies. "But we can't because she isn't there and Zecora is in trouble and we have to help because she is all spidery and ponies think she is evil so guards are protecting her until her train arrives because she is leaving so we are kind of too late anyway!" she took another breath, "As long as we have smiles, friends and uniforms all will end well in the end, my back and right hind leg told me so!"

"I... see" Her unicorn friend said with a forced smile, her eyes searching for the zebra past the crowd and guards. She was already going forth, forcing her way through ponies when her tail got bit by one then two pairs of teeth, the grey mare mimicking Pinkie. With a revolted reproach Rarity turned and saw it.

Twilight Sparkle was trotting towards them, eyes surprised, the young student stopped by her friends and told the precious one: "I'm here now," she seemed almost to pout, "what do you want me to... what's going on here?" as Twilight discovered the crowd, at Rarity's motion the zebra under hood and then the letter at Derpy's mouth. Further behind, Big Macintosh was still talking with the ponies at their wagon. She sighed, looked again at the grey and dark clouds then towards Zecora. "Follow me!"

All four mares forced their way towards the mayor, guards letting them pass, once up and facing the crowd Twilight yelled for them to make silence. She was tense but her mood calmed the crowd, as if a shared feeling.

"Now what's going on?" She asked and for a second it seemed the crowd would erupt in renewed roars but she turned to the mayor who explained. "Well I was the one" Twilight frowned "asking Zecora for her help! I know she is doing all she can, and she certainly isn't working for the spiders!"

"I am afraid they are right," Zecora intervened, "I pay the toll of my fight."

She lowered the hood, showed her face and legs to the young mare whose eyes went wide. Zecora's coat grey on grey was bristled and rough, patched with silk to her neck, to her muzzle. She was less a pony as her own eyes showed no more pupils, just two cobwebs blinding her. Saliva was dripping from her mouth. If not for her mane, if not for the golden collar and earrings, Twilight wasn't sure she would have recognized her; wasn't sure it was her friend at all, and she fought not to step back.

"I wanted to help everypony, but my magic has turned against me. My thoughts have lost all clarity, my tricks bring spiders to your doors. You know this is a lost war when ponies become their enemy."

With a stomp Twilight shouted: "No!" and added a few more words stammering on what she knew, on what she felt, before the bristled zebra. She was only glancing at the crowd and the hundreds of threads hanging, thick and glowing in the greyish day. She refused, she hiccuped, she refused to give up. So was Rarity, following immediately as her friend's voice faltered, to say Zecora was still Zecora and that no appearance would change that. "You don't think ill, do you?" She reassured her before, to her surprise, the zebra shook her head again. At that the captain approached, told her that the train was arriving. Already an escort was formed and when she joined them the crowd thought she was taken in custody. They weren't yelling anymore, simply throwing glares at the hood trotting away.

"Twilight, you know Zecora is a friend!" Rarity kept on trying. "She wouldn't harm us! We must tell her, we must... do something!"

"I know," the student shortly answered.

That short answer, the tale underlined, would be all the student would answer. She watched the guards go past the wagon of scales, disappear behind the houses towards the train station. What were her thoughts, it wouldn't be told. When she turned her tone had changed, as the crowd dispersed, she addressed the greyish mare, asked for the letter.

"So, Rarity" Pinkie Pie cut the gracious unicorn before she could join Twilight to read "how are the uniforms going? Because we need them very very soon!"

"Certainly" she answered to calm the pink earth mare. "Am I the only one concerned with Zecora?"

"Everypony is concerned with everypony!" Pinkie grinned, "but you can't worry all the time!" And she gestured, a hoof around her friend's neck, for her to listen at the pegasus story. The mailmare noticed it and joyfully repeated what she had already narrated once, how she and the blazing mare had reached Claremare and found a lake monster. Then there was a fight and there were boats and splashes, and the grey mare added a detail she hadn't told Pinkie earlier, her smile weakening at that memory: "The lake was red." Near them Twilight was still reading, plunged in her thoughts, suddenly rolled the letter and kept it for herself.

She turned and asked what the wagon was for and Rarity guessed it first: "It must be that monster's scales." Which the grey mare confirmed with a nod, the knight had made the residents of Claremare take the scales and send them here. The precious white mare wasn't really listening, absorbed by the view of the bright amethyst shade. She would have to sell her boutique just for one of those. "Maybe Victory will offer you one" Twilight suggested, having noticed her friend's interest. But her lady friend perked up and rejected the idea. She simply didn't want to be in debt with a merciless brutal pony.

"Did she mention us in the letter?" She ventured.

"Only me."

Again, the captain came, to address as much Twilight as the mayor and tell them that the Everfree was moving. Spiders, bigger, were approaching the trench they were digging, and the houses. Since the princess was still missing, he was asking them the permission to use torches. What truly amazed the lavender student then was, watching over the guard's head, how she was seeing no thread. And she wondered why, before noticing just a feeble one that the daylight was hiding.

Before she could answer, Pinkie Pie jumped forth and cut them, told her they had something far more important to do. "You haven't forgotten have you?" And Twilight, blinking, asked what it was. But her bouncy friend, with a giggle, as if preparing a prank proposed it was simply the answer to all of their problems, and that she was certain Fluttershy would be back just in time because the Everfree was agitated and that was a good sign.


	50. Then the night

"My princess,"

"I lost your helm and damaged your cuirass. Clouds cover your land rich and powerful, but they can't hide your sun. Tartarus is near. My princess, is it true I was stone? Did I take hooves against your reign? I can't remember if friendship is worth an entire kingdom. Your promise is my hope, your word is my will. I am the pawn, you are the queen. It is your duty to betray me."

"One night I fell in deep sleep and saw a hamlet with doors shut. On doors were the black crosses. I kept on walking in this silent hamlet. Grass and plants were growing behind me. I kept on walking. My princess, I should be scared, I know I should be, I want to be. But it is your blessing that no enemy should stand before you, and your hooves should fear none."

"Once I am gone, you will be left with this traitor, that false student. If she was to harm you, if you were to fall while I stand! No, my princess! She broke the chains, and said it was you! She forced me to go and leave you undefended! She never obeyed you, she... (I think she is angry)" Derpy's note added, "or she says the truth, but it musn't be."

"I have been told there was a star guiding me. I know only one star. I will follow you no matter what you ask, as far as you will allow. I beg you to betray me, and silence Twilight Sparkle, so the past is left behind. Le me protect you one more time."

She didn't know if it was day or night, eyes open the young pony contemplated the pitch black around her and all around her was quiet and silent. With her legs she touched the soft cover, thought she was in bed and searched for the blanket. There was none. The silence began to worry her, as was the deep darkness.

Touch by touch when she finally understand what that soft contact was Fluttershy fretted. Her body was still numb, herself on the shores of awakeness blinked in the dark, felt lost. Fear, pure fear was building on her that her dreams had kept at bay, as if a shield, and she looked for anything on which to hold, anything. Her sight caught but a tiny spark, almost nothing that seemed miles away from her, then the glow growed and she almost got blinded by this tiny glimmer. It seemed a night falling on the cave, as she saw the royal blue horn and the flowing mane, the many stars blinking. She saw the muzzle and those eyes closed in deep sleep. And as the light expanded it drew the lines of her hooves, further on the silk revealing the many fillies asleep, untouched, the many spiders asleep.

She thought to yell, felt her voice broken at her lips. The glowing light, so light, touched the pillars and reached even the monstruous beast, spider hanging on her thread, the thin legs clenched on her abdomen.

And the horn moved, eyes still shut the princess got up, escaped from the hanging webs.

She paced towards Fluttershy, touched the creamy mare who finally felt free, as if dreams had relinquished her to reality. She got up, watched the alicorn skim each pony's shoulder with her toe. At that the filly or would look and wake up, surprise on her face, and the colt would shake and gasp. Slowly but slowly the younger ponies gathered around Fluttershy and with faint voices they asked, "what happened", "are you okay" and more worries. They could see the many spiders around, some as big as them if not more, black and inert at the edge of the glow. They had to watch where they stepped.

"We should help her" Sweetie Belle wondered, watching the princess of night. "Right?" And Fluttershy nodded.

Then as the last of the young ponies were waking up she paced towards the tall alicorn who had stopped and sit before Widowline, at just two or three steps from it. Luna's eyes were still closed, her head lulling slowly. She seemed a sleepwalker. "I failed" Luna muttered for the shy mare. The princess had hoped it would be settled peacefully, but she had let anger and fear take the best of her. And, head still up facing her now enemy, she wished she had let Fluttershy speak first. "My sister..."

"I would have been terrible too..." Fluttershy whispered. "Oh uh I mean, you didn't fail, you did, you were, uh, scary." And she raised brightful eyes: "But I'm sure you tried your best."

"That is... comforting." Luna guessed.

Before them the fillies had gathered, waiting to leave but the princess still kept sit, her eyes shut and at Fluttershy's question about it she said she was keeping the spiders asleep. Then, after some seconds, she told the creamy mare in a lower voice that she had been scared. "Like a fear spell" she wondered before getting up and turning away from the sleeping monster.

Along her all followed, left the vast cave and trotted through the passageway, up and up until the glow fainted at the exit, at what seemed to them the brightest of day. It was late evening, over them the clouds were rolling dark and black preparing somewhat of a storm that wouldn't break yet. The Everfree around them was looking petrified, leaves and branches stuck by the many webs, somewhat colorless. What few spiders they could see wouldn't move, fretted faintly at their muffled trot. Farther away, even surrounded by webs the group found itself alone, isolated in an empty forest. If not for the princess, they wouldn't tell if this was the right way; but she would look up to the clouds and walk with resolve.

Her eyes opened vividly.

"Where are you going with my preys?" Widowline's voice hissed, high-pitched, with something acid and venomous in it

A few fillies shrieked, as would Fluttershy and the mare, shaking, was ready to hide among them before their scared faces forced her to be brave. She looked around, saw the woods take live and shake, then the trunks blacken under the many small creatures. "Stand back!" She shouted as much for the spiders as for the group. The shy mare was feeling uneasy facing those spiders, not because of their number and threat, but soon she realized because those had no eyes. Then a spider stopped fast and on her back opened one big pupil, beastly and sick. She shrieked even more feeling observed by this enormous glare.

"So young, so innocent!" Widowline's voice exulted, "so terrorized. And yours, so old and cold... Watch me take your kind helplessly."

Dozens of eyes opened at the same time, surrounding the ponies. The entire forest was glaring viciously, the stare more and more oppressing at each instant, forcing them to crouch and whimper. "Stop it!" A filly shouted, mane of silver before the beasts, and she fell and curled, agitated, wailed for it to stop. But Fluttershy couldn't hear it, couldn't see it, crushed by the sight of such fury. She didn't feel weak, fearful or tiny, she didn't feel judged but threatened, thousands enraged, about to hit her and she was surrounded. It was as if they were already hitting, she put her hooves over herself and begged.

Luna's horn had flared, one bright flash leaving trails of flames like will o' the wisp on the many trees and the cover of clouds swept and scattered. The moon was low, filled the early night with its lunar beams in which the alicorn fulminated.

All in vain, as the ponies were falling around her, wailing or mad, she was fighting just to save herself. Magic had engulfed her very eyes, burned over her bristle and her heart was beating harder and harder as she was devoured. "Poor pony." The high-pitched voice mocked. "You are only making it easier." Trees took flames, a furnace hurling over the black furry spiders and their sick eyes. The grass, the silk, bark and leaves hurled in light blue fires while the glares kept fixing the group of ponies and push them more and more to the edge of insanity. Only at the very end did Luna realize what was happening, when the last barrier of her mind cracked. She looked at her moon one last time.

There was the silhouette, black on the white disk, clearly cut. She was tiny, wings open, dove like a bolt of lightning. "Confidence?!" The monster yelled as the clouds scarce were wiped from the sky. The fierce pegasus broke the barrier, made a bang roar far over the Everfree. Spiders fled under the deflagration and in a matter of seconds the woods were quiet, flames extinguishing in the starlight.

"I spoiled it again!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she landed. "Everypony's okay?"

None were, still sobbing and terrorized, but through the veil of consciousness they saw the many colored mare and began to recover. Luna, first, turned to her and calmed, her horn finally going to rest. "You saved us."

"Yeah, sure." She said, unimpressed. "Who cares about rainbooms anyway..."

A secret smile appeared on Luna's muzzle as she watched the pegasus go to her friend, turn to the fillies and try and calm them, get them to move. Ponyville was close, she was ready to lead the way, wondered what could have happened to them. The ponies were still shaking, looking lost and dazed, almost mindless. But they were still responding. Among them Fluttershy was still catching her breath, looking around and heart broken, could barely move. Dash nudged her and asked for her help, to get the younger ones to safety and she tried to nod. Then she gasped, asked: "You didn't leave ponyville?"

This was the thought, the tale shared, that the shy mare would hold onto.

"I did" the fierce mare answered, happy to see her friend finally react. "Cloudsdale is... not in its best shape. So I gave a kick or two and got back for the festivities!"

With a slow pace Fluttershy followed, called for a few fillies to follow and her shaken voice did miracles. She looked around at the trees covered by darkness, before her muzzle plunged to the grass. She hadn't even noticed the lack of white fabric. "Come on!" The fierce mare encouraged, floating just behind the princess who was leading with her glow, as if the very night was moving with her. They had little time left if they wanted to be there in time. "Where?" The shy pegasus wondered. And Rainbow Dash, rolling her eyes, got patient with the trembling mare.

"To the repetitions where else? We're cheerleaders, remember?"

* * *

**So ends the tenth episode. Why did I think that an entire arc without Victory would be a good idea...****  
**

**First draft had Luna go alone, when I modified it I had a whole scene where Fluttershy would speak. Lots of explanations and philosophy. Scraped that. When I reread chapter 46, I was surprised at how the hospital scene was... and calling a basement a cave was funny too. Well, all five chapters got little care, and the next fifteen probably too. **

**I am currently translating a fanfic' in French. Said fic' is the lengthiest of the fandom. It has priority over my texts so Lesson None will get delayed a lot. Ponies need S.V.A.G., not thoughts.**


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